The 2013 Birdcage Report
Back when we were (serial) Fashions on the Field contestants, spending our time swanning around the Fashions on the Field enclosure and hoping to catch the eyes of the judges and any roving newspaper photographer, we imagined that one day we would be invited into the hallowed grounds of The Birdcage. That sacred area where celebrities mingle, champagne flows freely and good-looking waiters serve cute little canapés on silver platters.It took us a few years, a few wins, and couple of changes of careers and hometowns, but we finally got there. After years of longing for the comfort of the corporate Birdcage marquees, was it everything we hoped it would be? As sad as this will sound to my purist racegoer friends - yes, yes it was.This year, and thanks to this little website, we were lucky enough to experience the elaborate natures of four of the marquees in the Flemington Birdcage: Myer, Lexus, G.H. Mumm and Herald Sun. And, of course, we documented every detail.MYER MARQUEE
The Myer Marquee has a reputation amongst Birdcage revellers as being the "party marquee". Anyone who's been there and has stayed until kick-out time (around 7pm) knows that any of the following can, and most likely will, happen: 1) Myer CEO Bernie Brookes will perform karaoke to American Pie, 2) designer and Myer Fashions on the Field host Jeff Banks will tear it up on the dance floor, and 3) milliner Richard Nylon will do the splits, assisted by "the best rower in the world", James Tomkins.This year's theme was titled "The Australian Homestead" and followed on from Myer's SS14 collection shoot, which took place in the Australian wilderness. The wood-panelled marquee was decked out with native flora, while nibbles and drinks had a distinct outback feel (think bush lime mojitos and mini pavlovas).A plethora of big-name celebrities were spotted in Myer this year, including Dita Von Teese, Tyson Beckford, Whitney Port, Jennifer Hawkins and Rebecca Judd.
The Myer Marquee has a reputation amongst Birdcage revellers as being the "party marquee". Anyone who's been there and has stayed until kick-out time (around 7pm) knows that any of the following can, and most likely will, happen: 1) Myer CEO Bernie Brookes will perform karaoke to American Pie, 2) designer and Myer Fashions on the Field host Jeff Banks will tear it up on the dance floor, and 3) milliner Richard Nylon will do the splits, assisted by "the best rower in the world", James Tomkins.This year's theme was titled "The Australian Homestead" and followed on from Myer's SS14 collection shoot, which took place in the Australian wilderness. The wood-panelled marquee was decked out with native flora, while nibbles and drinks had a distinct outback feel (think bush lime mojitos and mini pavlovas).A plethora of big-name celebrities were spotted in Myer this year, including Dita Von Teese, Tyson Beckford, Whitney Port, Jennifer Hawkins and Rebecca Judd.
By Lisa Tan and Angela Menz