~ Curious Charlie ~

VAMFF Fashion Festival 2016 @ Monday, March 21, 2016

Sunday 13th March

Virgin Australia Melbourne's Fashion Festival is back and this year we were lucky to be offered tickets to attend the second last runway with front row seats and access to the VIP bar.

While we've been to Spring Fashion Week in September we have never been to the one in March, while was sponsored by L'oreal before Virgin took over, and was located out in the Docklands area. This year for the first time the show is being held up at the Royal Exhibition Building (where Melb Uni has exams and balls) and at the Museum.

Lavazza Coffee Caviar! It's like coffee jelly but in tiny caviar balls.

You'd be surprised what you can use to make those balls when you have the kit.

Running (fashionably) late as usual we made it for dessert and a couple drinks before the show. While the food is moving around and others around me are being offered I'm often not. Is it because I'm not pretty? I might not have that going for me, but I'm a great potential bounty hunter/PI.

Canapes

Beer & Soda

I saw a tray of blood orange but we weren't fast enough! We need Lola.

For everyone else there was a food & drinks marquee, with sushi packs though they didn't look very fresh or appealing. I would have liked to seen food trucks, something with cranberry & turkey.

Bread... hmm... do you have cheese platters?

Outfit of the day, beads or sequins? Navy and black.

Sequins come in all styles, they don't always have to sparkle and be colourful.

The show was held underground. In the carpark, which was very bright, a bit stuffy and worked well with the sound. I was hoping we'd be in the royal exhibition building. But it was an interesting space.

There were 200+ front row seats which were ticketed at $100 each. Why people pay to be exposed to marketing is still beyond me, as a major introvert with less friends than fingers on one hand. But as a marketer it's all about the social experience, a night out with the girls, selfies and to say/show "I was there".

A woman in her 50s wearing a very short dress took my seat. My assertiveness skills are more like aggressive boot camp leader, so I got an usher to do it. The woman shot us a dirty look when asked to move back to her second row seat. Later she'd jump next to me nearly knocking me over. I had my showbag under my seat and didn't realize she'd grabbed mine and ran. This happened to jas and I wasn't there to confront her. Because with me I specialize in violence, and I find the sword mightier than the pen. Though if I don't have a sword a pen will do. I am fully capable of killing someone with a pen, I may be 5" but not to be underestimated.

Fortunately everyone else I encountered was lovely.

The show we saw was Premium Runway 6 - Presented by frankie and Fiat supported by Nude By Nature at Priceline Pharmacy, I'm guessing they supplied the makeup for the models.

Showbags! The reason why we're really here. :P

In the bag was a magazine, a sketch book from the coffee place, a nut bar and this box.

Inside

I'm most excited about using the contouring kit! A discussion with a friend, bought up who the target audience for this package was, which would be a majority of attendees. Obviously female, but she's also very pale/white (the kit is for light skin only) wears pink lip gloss and fake tans.

From Priceline, April Edition. Three samples within.

As usual Priceline did all the hair and makeup, for the show and as an express service. Free, no tickets to the show required. We had our hair done and the stylist was great! He had some very good tips.

Showbag from Priceline - The sunscreen we actually started using before taking this picture :P Personally I think this showbag is better than the one from the show because it contains more products I have actually use.

The beer photo booth guy was very cute :P Samsung had a pop up box, with a selfies hall of mirrors booth and a photo studio setup. I also saw two other areas within the event space. Camwhore heaven.

The best time to check out event space is during the show, because there's less people around, less lines and less waiting. During the show before yours or after is ideal.

So why did you go if you're not into fashion?, asked M. For the showbags (I have a slight obsession with them, related to a childhood experience). And because we were offered tickets from work. But it's not something I'd pay to see/experience, like concerts or the theatre. Still we had a good time, with almost no regrets. Other than my lack of assertiveness.

Did you attend VAMFF this year? What's your favourite part of the fashion festival?