Welcome back to the land of gift bags and cries of ‘don’t you know who I am?!’ for day 2 of Rosemount Australian Fashion Week. We were rudely awakened this morning in our hotel at 7.30am by housekeeping – clearly I don’t stay often in hotels and didn’t know about the ‘do not disturb’ sign – so decided to get up and check out the facilities on the recreation floor. A gym, pool, spa and sauna beckoned and after dipping our toes in the freezing pool, Miss J and I settled for the spa and rested our tired muscles after yesterday’s initiation to RAFW.

Blog and magazine catch ups followed before heading back to the Overseas Passenger Terminal for day 2. We had sussed out the schedule and decided we wanted back in at the Cargo Theatre for day 2, we would get to work three shows and felt that the three on offer were higher quality than the ones being held at the Opt. As soon as the call came out for Cargo, Miss J and I were at the front of the line.

The first show on the afternoon schedule was Magdalena Velevska and the first job of the day was to pack the gift bags. Unlike yesterday, none of today’s gift bags were prepared which created huge panics in the fifteen minutes prior to shows starting. MV bags contained hair and beauty products then needed a program tied to the handles with ribbon. Of course chaos ensued as the new shift of volunteers all scrambled to help – a too many cooks spoil the broth situation, but the bags got packed and laid out, all in good time for the show. A show I really enjoyed from my quietly brilliant vantage point at the end of the runway. Totally wearable clothes that would work from day to night, I was in love.

Show two of the afternoon was Flannel and we were lucky enough that the room layout was to remain the same for this show. No heavy lifting, just a quick break and just over an hour sitting outside taking in the Sydney breeze and watching fashionistas go by. Lo and behold, another designer hadn’t prepared the gift bags and a group of volunteers were selected to pack these – I wasn’t in this group and spent some more time sitting outside. The Flannel show was very overcrowded and I was in the unfortunate position of being down the front but standing towards the entrance – a vantage point with no view of the actual show. From all reports and what I did manage to see, the show was pretty good, not my personal style but impressive all the same.

Finally, Frederich Gray was the final show of the evening, and one that required a massive set change in the shortest period of time. Additional staging and seating was installed and moved (my muscles will feel that tomorrow!), seat numbers switched around and an impressive mirror construction at the entry point to the catwalk. We were told no gift bags, a huge relief on such a short turnaround, only to be given boxes of product 25 minutes before the show to make up 112 bags for the front row fashionistas. Um, crap. So 6 vollies worked their fingers to the bone (mine included) to pack bags that included a Woolmark notepad, a nail polish, MAC cosmetics, an oil product, gift vouchers and a smaller gift bag. We made our 7.20pm deadline and at 7.30pm (what was meant to be the official start time of the show), the doors opened and we filled the room. Over 500 people came out to the Frederich Gray show and were not disappointed with a palette of black and white that screamed simplicity.

Celebs and famous faces spotted tonight included Meg Gray and Ilona Hamer from Vogue, Jackie Frank from Marie Claire, Jennifer Hawkins, Fifi Box, Angela Bishop, Ruby Rose, Kate Waterhouse, Janice Breen Burns from the Age and Rick from Melbourne Weekly, among others whose names I simply can’t recall at this time of night. Up tomorrow are labels Jayson Brunsdon and Anna & Boy. Stay tuned to the Style Emporium to see which shows I get to work at!    

Image One: Models are taught the choreography at Magdalena Velevska
Image Two and Three: SS10/11 looks at Magdalena Velevska
Image Four: Flannel
Image Five: Designer Frederich Gray is interviewed after the show

Visit Magdalena Velevska, Flannel and Frederich Gray in coming weeks to see the SS10/11 collections.