Valentino

We flew to Brisbane - an early start with all the boys, primarily for a visit - but while in Brisbane we got to check out the Valentino exhibition at the Queensland Art Gallery. With the kids being entertained by the big squirrel outside, it wasn't going to be a long and relaxing visit - but it was certainly well worth the visit.

The gallery has really set this up for the fashionista and there is re

ally something for everyone. It is in a big black room w

ith all of the dresses on mannequins up on boxes giving the audience the opportunity to move right around the dress and have a good look.

The amount of outfits was fantastic, with 2 full rooms and a digital displa

y. Valentino has an extensive history, and there were dresses from the 60's right through to modern collections. Rather than chosing to display them in date order - the display was grouped in style - florals, modern graphic where original 60's sat seamlessly with 80's and modern outfits. There was a great black and white collection and of course Valentino's signature red.

What I particularly enjoyed was the opportunity to see red carpet dresses up close. There was Cate Blanchet's yellow dress which she wore to the Oscars winning for the Aviator and Julia Roberts vintage black and white Valentino when she won best actress. Little details that you don't pick up in media are great to see up close. It was also great to see 'defects' in zips etc - where clients we have had (in the distant past B.C.) would have complained. Even the masters have visible zips!! My only complaint was that I couldn't touch the dresses nor see inside them - I didn't really expect too. If you are in the area I would highly recommend having a look.

really?

With all this time freed up from the shakles of the glowing box, I am actually craving visual stimualtion. Today in the Herald Sun newspaper (I did say visual stimulation, not hard core news) was a fashion week lift out. This was the four page spread - current fashion spanning past decades/fads.

I was reading them and looking at the pieces. Now I can deal with the fact that the looks are styled and you wouldn't really wear them like this - well not to school pick up!

but I read a bit closer and couldn't get over the price of things.

Seriously - does anyone know anybody with a spare $5268 dollars to recreate this look? Or maybe $4261.95 for this one. I think its cheaper because you can't see the shoes. The Cacherel shirt is $495. Even for silk it is a fairly basic cut with a zigzag on the collar. Even in silk - which I am assuming it is, I cannot imagine paying essentially $500 for it. Personally I would even think twice at $50, and you would have to factor in drycleaning.

This one is quite reasonable at $3666 - reasonable I must be losing my mind. The mans outfit is $793 and he will get a lot more wear out if it than the womans which is more than 4 times more.

This one is $3176.95 - well I think I need every bit of this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!