Have Shoes, Will Party: 2013

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Christmas Parties

Melbourne is pretty good at throwing a Christmas party. At the AMPR Christmas bash at Fenix in Richmond, guests (including Kiyomi Vella and Richard Nylon) invited by the PR company dressed in the code of "monochrome" partied until the bar was closed. At Fiat Chrysler's Christmas bash, company folk mixed with celebrities such as Sophie Monk and Gary Ablett Jr, all to the beat of a floorshow at the Crown Palladium. At The Botanical, 8 Degrees' Steve Rainey and Dave Ryan held their party, while a chilly night did not deter Riva party-goers from kicking up their heels. Happy new year, Melbourne!

At AMPR - APL photography

At AMPR - APL Photography

At AMPR - APL photography

At AMPR - APL Photography

At Riva

At Riva

At 8 Degrees

At 8 Degrees - Marnie Rainey Photography

At 8 Degrees

At Fiat Chrysler

Monday, December 16, 2013

Peroni Nastro Azzuro Marquee/ Jeep Portsea Polo Launch

Why wait for January to be excited for the Jeep Portsea Polo when you can get hyped in December? That was the thinking at The Botanical when a crowd of pretty people helped launch the Peroni Nastro Azzurro marquee. Last year Lara Bingle stayed put for most of the day; no doubt the guest list this year will include some big names. The launch was snazzy enough: model Sophie Van Den Akker brought along her other half, Travis Cloke, while bag designer Michaela Menichelli showed off a frock from her friend's new business - an online designer-for-hire site (Watch this space: Runway Dream) . Also there were Scherri-Lee Biggs, Emma Notarfrancesco, Em Rusciano and Bree Laughlin. The theme was a touch of La Dolce Vita, so it makes sense that chef Adam D'Sylva, of Tonka and Coda fame, will be whipping up some memorable Italian dishes. The countdown until January 11 is on.

Bree Laughlin and Sophie Van Den Akker

Emma Notarfrancesco and David Muzic

Michael Coade and Cindy Sargon

Michaela Menichelli

Friday, December 13, 2013

TOMS + Tabitha Simmons Launch

I've long since been a fan of TOMS shoes - not only do they do something philanthropic for the world (every time you buy a pair of TOMS shoes, they give a pair of shoes to a child in need), but they're also just about the most comfortable shoe I've ever worn. How glad was I when stylist and shoe designer Tabitha Simmons decided to put her own spin on the TOMS flats and espadrille wedges (striped so in honor of the holiday season)? To celebrate, Grace Melbourne threw a party. And I am happily wearing the striped flats as I write.

Nadia Coppolino (Chronicles of Nadia) at left.

Ilana and Georgia from Grace Melbourne

Guy Evans Photography

Saturday, December 7, 2013

Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival Campaign Launch

The weather had been godawful all day, but when the sun finally broke through the clouds on Wednesday evening, it was for an apt reason - the official campaign launch of the all-new Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival. Models strutted their stuff done a crazy-long runway, grouped by fashion trends for 2014, such as "punk" and "romantic." VIP guests included Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Kiyomi Vella and DJ Andy Murphy, while some of the designers present were Yeojin Bae, Thurley's Helen O'Connor, Gwendolynne Burkin and milliner Richard Nylon.

Natalie Bassingthwaighte

Kiyomi Vella

Virgin Australia MFF's Chairperson Laura Anderson and CEO Graeme Lewsey

Sass & Bide's David Briskin with fiancee Elizabeth

Gwendolynne Burkin and Richard Nylon

DJ Andy Murphy

Photos by Lucas Dawson

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Paspaley Polo in the City

It was no secret that I was geared up for the Paspaley Polo in the Park: after interviewing some of the key players for an article in The Age, I couldn’t wait to see if this was the hot ticket I expected it to be. Not disappointed. What a glorious, relaxed, fun day: Albert Park is a great location, and once there, the marquees are easy to negotiate. (Those who weren’t invited to a marquee didn't fret, since the Kirin Polo Lounge offered deejay tunes, massage treatments and a cool table and chair set up right on track.) I love the way that the polo players wander in and out of the marquees before and after their games, and there’s no shortage of celebrity spotting, either – hello Jennifer Hawkins and Rebecca Judd (in Land Rover), as well as Alice Burdeu, Francesca Cumani and Lauren Philips (in Veuve Clicquot).

The Paspaley marquee was awash in yellow-and-white, while souvenir-collectors ran amok at Veuve Clicquot’s take on a 50s diner, picking up yellow trilby hats, sun shades, fans and sunglasses. The safari theme at Land Rover meant a zebra rug on the floor, and offerings such as beef jerky on a canopy-covered table. Woodford Reserve was done up to resemble a white-shuttered house on a Southern Plantation, and the killer cocktails meant that guests had a good ole time, in the Southern tradition too. Kudos to Janek Gazecki, one of the founders of Paspaley PITC, who’s a grand spokesperson for the event – and for the sport.(He even plays!)