PERTH FASHION FESTIVAL DAY 1; WEDNESDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 2011

KEE@FSWMAG.COM

DAY 1; MYER LUNCH AND GALA OPENING NIGHT AT PERTH CONVENTION EXHIBITION CENTRE

Kee Hua Chee with the Lord Mayor of Perth Lisa Scaffidi and socialite Bernadette Bosanac in fringe dress and friend

No one can accuse me of blending with the carpet and furniture

Me and my new friend

A trio of stylish Perthians

Aurelio Costarella, the most acclaimed designer in Western Australia

Kee Hua Chee with Aurelio Costarella

The 400 luncheon guests at the Myer show at Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre

Showing off my bling

I couldn't decide photo to use so I am using both as submission is always my policy and it has brought me bountiful benefits...


LANCE, THE DISHY, BALD VIP MINDER PICKED ME IN A MERCEDES-BENZ LIMO TO THE NEARBY PERTH CONVENTION EXHIBITION CENTRE FOR THE OPENING SALVO--THE ELITE MYER LUNCHEON.

TICKETS FOR THIS LUNCH SOLD FOR A$110 (RM 320) BUT WITH THE FREE FLOW OF WINE AND CHAMPAGNE PLUS SUPERB GOURMET LUNCH, IT WAS WORTH IT. EVEN I WOULD CONSIDER FOR A FEW SECONDS ABOUT PAYING FOR MY LUNCH EXCEPT PAYING FOR MY MEALS IS GENERALLY AGAINST MY RELIGION KEEISM.

I always thought Perth fashion, like the city, is casual, laidback, easy going and sangfroid so I almost passed out from multiple throes of ecstasy when I saw Perthians of the female species arrived dressed to kill and thrill amid spill and heels!

I thought I was at the Paris or London Fashion Week!

I stood and gawk in amazement as guest after guest arrived splendidly coiffed and coutured and manicured to the last nanomillimetre.

So many lovely women dazzling my senses with their fabulous clothes and emanating effortless chic and charisma. Nothing contrived and everything so stylish and alluring! I was so impressed I had to down 5 glasses of champers to calm my nerves.

Off popped my Leica V-Lux 20 and I was soon snapping happily away. Another advantage was that I did not know who was who so I photographed those whose attire I admired! She could be the richest denizen in Dalkeith, Mosman Park or Peppermint Grove or some wannabe with good taste---it did not matter! Only style did!

Only later did I find out who was who and doing what but it mattered not as these ladies oozed style. Below are the cool designs;


















Bernadette Bosanac in Charlie Brown

Andrea of Myer exhorting the joys of having a Personal Shopper

Second round;
















Before lunch was served, the Lord Mayor and Perth Fashion Festival Ambassador Lisa Scaffidi made a welcome speech. She was a vision in a polka dot ensemble by Charlie Brown and half a million ringgit worth of Stefan jewels though mine were bigger and more ostentatious.

By now the Aussie pixmen were starting to take my photos as I looked like a Chinese firecracker cum angpow in red dragon shirt and red snake pants. I was introduced to the Lord Mayor who admitted my bling outshone hers and my outfit too. She said Perth had never seen the likes of me and I was a most welcome accessory. I was on the verge of asking her for the keys to the city but refrained as that might make me a vulgarian when I am such a refinarian!

The first fashion show appeared before lunch and featured Fleuer Wood, Wayne Cooper, Kate Sylvester, Charlie Brown, Manning Cartell, sass & bide, DKNY and Ellery. Near the end of lunch, the final show featured Karen Walker, T.L Wood,HI THERE from Karen Walker, Leona Edmiston, Karen Miller, Sonia by Sonia Rykiel, Yeojin Bae and Aurelio Costarella.

After a heavy lunch, I was taken to Wasteland with the other bloggers. I thought Wasteland was a district like Bukit Bintang as the name could be a poor, wasted cousin of Queensland or Kingsland but it was a boutique on the first floor opposite Louis Vuitton and Tiffany. It was rather gothic but wonderfully decorated though the clothes were all too black for my taste and none had my face painted on it. Labels included Chloe, Marc Jacobs, Dion Lee, Therese Rawsthorne and the unbelievable name of Acne!

Below are taken inside Wasteland the happening store;

A nice, sweet statue of Mickey Mouse

But this rat carries a deadly gun behind his back!

Wasteland sells books and limited prints by Mr Brainwash and others

Snow White with archeaoterpyx as never envisaged by Walt Disney

The bane of the white man

Conservative Christians will have something to say about this for sure

The owners of Wasteland and Subway DC

All is not dark and gothic at Wasteland

Cool set-up

I almost something just for the brand name!

What a name but I like it


Opening night was at C, the only revolving restaurant in Perth. I was a shade disappointed as I thought the women would be even more outrageously garbed as I wore orange feathers in honour of couturier Aurelio Costarella who is known to have a penchant for feathers. Alas, most of the ladies wore black! Sure they looked achingly elegant and poised but this was a fashion moment and I thought the more outrageous the better. My orange pants, for instance, had my smirking face hand painted on my groin and on my ass so I did sit on my face eventually.

Kee Hua Chee in orange feathers with bird of the same feather Bernadette Bosanac in silken scales

Top designer Kym Ellery

Bernadette Bosanac

Fashionista and mine owner Emma Milner in Aurelio Costarella

Top WA Social editor Di Bauwens with Emma Milner

Fashion TV host Amber Renae in Aurelio Costarella

Birds of the same feather flocking together

I like his look

The Premier of Western Australia Mr Colin Barnett and his wife Mrs Lyn Barnett

Andrea of Myer with friends

Models in Aurelio Costarella

Malaysian model Suraya!








Kee Hua Chee with Steven Carey of Myer

Ice queen from Alkemi

Kee Hua Chee with platinum beauty

Anthony Sadler who looked after the VIPs

Anthony Sadler looked like a model or actor and should immediately give up his studies to do so

Corey Smith is cute too

Peter Bergmen has a million watt smile

Corey and Peter could be twins separated at birth
The one in the middle (photo below) is Jeremy Webster


I cannot believe I am just up to their ears

Anthony Sadler is so tall I just manage to reach his armpit!

I have 2 faces...

My face on my groin caused a sensation

Corey Smith, Jeremy Webster and Peter Bergmen

Jeremy Lim and Simon

Eastern and western beauties

They want to see my two faces!


The men were even more modest and wallflowery as they arrived in tux or suits. There was a handful who hovered at the boundary but none except me fell off the cliff.

The seating arrangement was wonderful---each seat was the best seat! As it a revolving restaurant, all the chairs were placed looking out towards the windows and the models would parade along the narrow corridor between the chairs and glass windows.

The Aurelio Costarello show was presented by The West Australian, one of the top 2 dailies of Western Australia. The guests of honour were HE the Premier of West Australia Colin Barnett and wife Lyn and Lord Mayor who wore Aurelio Costarella and Stefan jewels. Quite a few wore Aurelio Costarella and anyone who was anyone attended the Myer show and Gala Opening Night.

The show was a smidgen too brief as the 21 models on the circular catwalk against the stunning Perth backdrop should have done 2 rounds. The garments were marvellous but we needed more time to oogle and drool over them. Ditto for the models. One of them was a Malaysian and she was stunning so keep a look out for Suraya!

I was still expecting another parade or a finale with Aurelio Costarella but to my consternation, the glitterati was beginning to stir from their seats and perambulating towards the free bar which was serving Moet & Chandon like there was no tomorrow. I asked for Coca Cola and was told there was none and was advised to continue quaffing Moet & Chandon! Class or what!

There were half a dozen hunks recruited from WA University whose mission was to look after the media. Lauren asked me which one I wanted to walk me later to the After Party at a secret, nearby location. I cast my beady eye on Anthony Sadler, Peter Bergmen, Corey Smith and Jeremy Webster and decided I would have all 4 walk me. Greed is my middle name, so sue me.

Around 10pm the fortunate ones invited to the After Party began migrating. Of course the 4 hunks accompanied me together with designer Jeremy Lim. After a quickie 10 minute walk we reached Louvre where the party was heating up, in all places, the lobby of the building. Well, I had never partied before in the foyer so this was something new and I loved Louvre!

There were more nibbles in the form of sushi and of course more champagne and wine. So seldom do I attend parties where it was difficult to get soft drinks!

THE END