FLOWER POWER
Florals are all the rage in Birdcage
FLEMINGTON’S Birdcage enclosure may have been light on A-listers on Oaks Day, but it was abundant in feminine, floral fashions.
Jennifer Hawkins was among the first to arrive at yesterday’s race meeting, known as Ladies Day, in a long-sleeve figure-hugging dress with a bright floral print by Alex Perry and a diamond encrusted hair clip by milliner Ezara J and Cerrone jewellers.
The former Miss Universe said her Alex Perry dress was a symbolic choice for her final appearance as the Face of Myer, after 12 years with the department store.
“I wanted to wear Alex (Perry) and Toni (Maticevski) on my last two race days, because I have worked with them for a long time and our relationship is very special,” she said.
Hawkins made a point of visiting the designers to thank them for their support over the years. “We chatted for about 40 minutes and then I thought I better try on something … I’ve never really been into florals but (Perry) showed me this and I said, ‘now that’s a floral’,” she said.
Hawkins spent the day celebrating her time with the department store. “I’m really calm, and in a good spot, I feel really thankful when I look back at all the amazing mem- ories,” she said.
Over in the exclusive Birdcage enclosure, Megan Gale, Brit Davis and model Montana Cox also donned florals.
“I’m such a Zimmermann girl, it’s insane, I just love their work and thought florals would be appropriate for today,” Cox said of her yellow cut-out dress from the Australian label’s latest collection.
“Although I did put a slip under it because it initially didn’t have one.”
The colour pink in all its variations was the reigning colour of the day, seen on models Lauren Henshaw and Brooke Hogan, racing royalty Kate Waterhouse in pastel pink and Victoria’s Secret model Elyse Taylor. Taylor, in a sherbet pink one-shoulder dress by Alex Perry, said the shade was perfect for Ladies Day.
“It’s such a soft, feminine and empowering colour,” she said.