The National Gallery of Victoria kicked off its summer exhibition Westwood|Kawakubo (a shoo-in for “blockbuster” by January) with its annual Gala, a lushlavish early dinner for VIPs upstairs blossoming into a hip-to-hip cocktail convivial for hundreds downstairs. VoxFrocker Chrissy Dore was in the official media possee shooting arrivals. This is her chocbox of crunchy caramel faves. Bon Appetit. For more Melbourne socials click back to VoxFrock on insta in the party-packed run-up to Christmas.
Olivia Molly-Rogers, writer, presenter, influencer, “Tell Me More” podcaster.
From 6 pm-ish A-Listers spill into the media pit pitched around the NGV’s iconic arch and waterwall for shots and chats in time for the news.
Actress Sarah Ellen with most excellent partner whose name we sadly missed.
Celebs, dignats, gallery execs, sponsors and pollies plus locals and flyins up for the $2000+ dinner ticket.
Melbourne’s iconic fashion duo Vivienne Giadakos and Robert Bonomy epitomise glamour at fashion’s front line
The B-to-Z-Listers queue around the media wall from 8ish then spread out into the gallery’s Great Hall, gardens and nether regions.
Renowned Melbourne based influencer and fashion reporter/founder of “What People Wear” on Instagram, Olga Pokrovskaya
A fleet of waiters and bar staff keep flit about topping glasses.
Troye Sivan, singer/songwriter/actor and NGV Gala co-chair with Vogue chief Edwina McCann
Food platters are trooped out by more liveried staff: mindblowingly pretty pop-in-your-mouthfuls manageable with iphone, purse, Moet glass.
Legendary local fashion designer Erik Yvon with Aisha Dee both in Erik Yvon styled by fellow legend, Karinda Mutabazi
They dance to Don West, LA-based DJ Leland, some crazygood Stephanie Lake choreography.
Legendary London based milliner Stephen Jones collaborated with Westwood and Kawakubo
The exhibition is peak hour all night. “So fantastic..” “So great…” “Loved loved loved….” The enthusiam blooms but superlatives simplify as the Moet & Chandon kicks in.
Alex Pike, skin care entrepreneur and influencer wears a gown by internationally renowned Melbourne couturier Alin Le-Kal
Airkisses. So many gala-ettes from fashion, from art, from creative practices and studios and so happy to be here. They flock around Stephen Jones, iconic milliner here from London, and exhibition curators Katie Somerville and Danielle Whitfield, all night. So impressed.
Rising Australian actor Maia Mitchell
By Cinderella hour the many who promised: “I’m only staying an hour then I’m off…” finally off after four. Another cracker.
