Runway 2

I'm starting to feel like all I ever do is complain about Australian fashion. Vogue, the freaking shops with all their junk, and now, fashion week.

I hate doing it. It makes me feel like a traitor, like a nasty person, like I am looking for faults. And I'm not, I swear! They are just making it so difficult for me.

Last night I went to the Loreal Paris Runway 2, the Vogue sponsored one. Knowing from personal volunteering experience that the September shows last year were only about $16 and you got a goody bag, even if it was mostly full of pamphlets, that at least had chocolate and water in it. This show cost $44 and we got a paper fan, a program (generous) and a Vogue. Which I guess is fair enough, Vogue were sponsoring, but its a FASHION SHOW. The people there all read Vogue already. Most of them are probably subscribers who already received that edition in the letter boxes like I did. We paid $44!! We all looked amazing! We were not allowed on the VIP boat, and there werent even goody bags. I needed some pamphlets to read while I waited for the damn show to start, and all I had was a tiny tub of icecream, which I couldnt even enjoy cos my teeth are still sensitive from the dentist.

To their credit, the venue was super cool. The location I also liked, the waterfront and the big deck area, excellent for people watching. The ice cream was appreciated. The dramatic lack of free champagne was NOT. And I am wondering what, exactly, I paid for.

The show itself. Christine was hot. Martin Grant showed some very cool silver and purple coats and dresses, and one stunning black belted coat with bell sleeves that I loved. There were 2 Maticevski dresses that I liked also, a big black one with white underlays, the other tight and short and in a interesting creamy/pale/browny-pink? colour. His ruffles and fabric were divine.

But otherwise, I was BORED. There was nothing else there that we cant already buy, and isnt that the whole point of going to shows- to covet something NEW? We know about little nanna tea dresses, we know about 20's revivals, we know about belts over cardigans. We know all this, and if we wanted to wear them, we'd have been doing it already. Last night. On the deck.

Instead, everyone was wearing fabulous dresses. Black and navy and cream and grey- fitted and interesting with pleats and folds and amazing jackets. Waists and hips and looong legs were everywhere. I didnt see one normal woman wearing a belt over a cardigan over a chiffon dress with a pussy-bow. I saw stunning women wearing huge heels and strutting around with big smiles on their faces. And carrying amazing bags!! Just fabulous.

There were some funny ones too, some very ab fab and some very 90's looking outfits. But even the woman next to me who was wearing a jacket that looked like it had some kind of chaff bag shiny plastic fringe, had style. She had killer shoes and was taking photos of the runway outfits so she was obviously really into it. Unfortunately i couldnt read her notes as it was too dark.

Apparently the Lisa Ho show was amazing. Maybe I'm not going to the right events? I think from now on though, I will go to the before-show show: the people watching outside. Its free and you can put your $44 towards the bottles of rose you will drink later on instead of having dinner while you moan about how boring your evening has been.

Did anyone else go to any events? What did you think? I am being too harsh?