Reportage: Vogue Fest.

Vogue Fest landed at the South Bank Centre this weekend and braid bars (where vogue workers braided your hair) and Dior make up counters (self-explanatory) were available for you to experiment with before mocking up a “Vogue Cover” of your new look.  Over the weekend speakers of a particularly high calibre (Alexa Chung, Daisy Lowe, Michael Kors and Victoria Beckham to name a few) converged at Queen Elizabeth Hall to discuss their various life experiences.

Happy Looking Camper!

There are few things that will get me up before 7am on Sunday (holiday flights, house fires, urges to puke from hangovers) but now Vogue fest has the dubious honour of being added to that list as at 6.50 this am my alarm went off. As it turned out I didn’t need it anyway (I blame Charlie Brooker and finally getting round to watching his soul damaging Black Mirror for my lack of shut eye).

The morning got off to a dodgy start when my barnet, which yesterday behaved impeccably, today was the hair embodiment of a screaming snot dribbling toddler.  Make-up wasn’t sitting well on my tired eyes either and played sulky teenager when I tried to apply it. But no matter, the fashion pack are notoriously forgiving of your appearance… aren’t they?

Dior Make Up Stands

The first part of the day was spent eavesdropping on the conversations around us.  The girl in front of me at the Vogue Café was distraught at there not being skimmed milk available, though only too happy to add a Vogue muffin to her breakfast.
 

Queing for Cover Shoot

 Attending the Vicky B talk (my sister has major girl crush on her) we found our seats and discussed how the crowd was predominately dressed sombrely with the odd flashes of colour.  A sea of black leather jackets and skinny jeans sat before us “no individuality anymore” I sagely commented before remembering my own outfit and taking off my black leather jacket so that my hypocrisy was camouflaged (well at least I got the uniform right).

VB was surprisingly witty “When I moved into fashion there were quite a few raised eyebrows… well those that could raise them did anyway” and managed to come across in a genuine manner.  She even took the opportunity to chastise her son Brooklyn, who had accompanied her, for not going to bed on time and to speak of the respect she had for her mum, who was also there and looking after the aforementioned American state/son. 

Strangely, after showing her creations and being wildly successful for 10 years, VB is still rather defensive of the input she has in her line and how involved she is in its fruition. “Marc (Jacobs) tells me I have to stop saying the industry left their preconceptions at the door for those first few shows, that they didn’t but that it was the clothes that spoke for themselves”.  And I find myself agreeing with him, the dress that Vic wore for the interview from her Autumn/Winter 2013 line looked immaculate.  Flattering when she sat down and almost completely un-creased when she stood up again (as it was over £1000 I expect it also turns into a 'hover dress' at the press of a button.)

The overall feel of the event was a lot less frantic, more chilled than I expected.  Granted, I'd have liked to see a few more opportunities to purchase items or experiment with fashion than was available, but all in all Vogue Fest is definitely an event I will look out for in the future.  If only to try and attend more than one of the workshop (and eat another of those tasty banana muffins!)