Natalie Chan at DFS Galleria

Natalie Chan ‘Hats off to the Races’ fashion show at DFS Galleria prepared for Melbourne Cup only a fortnight away, with race day hats and cocktail frocks in jewel colours accessorised with Christian Dior sunglasses, makeup and perfume…

Natalie Chan at DFS Galleria
Thursday 15 October 2010.

Natalie Chan ‘Hats off to the Races’ fashion show at DFS Galleria prepared for Melbourne Cup only a fortnight away, with race day hats and cocktail frocks in jewel colours.

Her colourful fashion was accessorised with Christian Dior sunglasses, makeup and perfume supplied by surely Auckland’s blingiest multi-level store, DFS Galleria in the historic Customhouse.

The Melbourne Cup always the first Tuesday in November, is a Big Deal. In fact in Melbourne it is always a public holiday in the city. Here in NZ, it is the TAB’s single biggest betting event with a conservative estimate that 10% of the adult population places a bet. Since the first race in 1861, 42 New Zealand-bred horses have won the Melbourne Cup, the most recent being Efficient in 2007 winning the southern hemisphere’s richest race.

And it’s big news in fashion too. The fashion element ‘Fashion In The Field’ was first introduced in 1962 to attract more spectators to stem dwindling attendance figures at Flemington in Melbourne. Here in Auckland, we’ll see well-shod fillies descending upon Euro to celebrate over champagne and a bet or two. In a fabulous hat, of course.

Left: Natalie Chan and Laura Kittner.

Below: Amber Peebles and Justine Hunter.