Strutting their stuff at Palladium

Press, 22 October 1986, Page 16

Strutting their stuff at Palladium

Christchurch has a versatile new venue in the Palladium nightclub, which hosted its first official function on Sunday evening. JANETTA MACKAY went along.

—Photographs by PETER BANNAN

Flashing flesh has become quite a trend in fashion presentations, and it still guarantees some audience response. Tania McVicar, organiser of Streetwalk ’B7, used it to good effect on Sunday evening at the first official function in the glitzy Palladium nightclub. Although some of Christchurch’s top female models fronted up in swimwear and lingerie, it was the male models who were stars of the show. Some of the dressy audience cat-called as the boys strutted their stuff. Leod Hais dressed the men in some colourful shirts, and showed their shape in swimming briefs. Nearly 20 models easily negotiated a tight catwalk, which jutted into the lit dancefloor, where seating had been arranged.

Rebecca Stewart, the 1986 "Look of the Year,” making her professional parade debut, admitted later that the smoke

machine, and foggy goggles worn during the swimwear section had made visibility difficult, but it didn’t show in one of the most tightly choreographed parades of the season. Tania cleverly used the Palladium’s lighting and music to produce an entertaining show, which held audience attention for more than an hour. The emphasis was on atmosphere rather than fashion, with many of the clothes being familiar selections from standard summer casual and day wear ranges. (It would be good to see more garments designed especially for parades — but probably prohibitive, pricewise.)

Hair pieces were used well among versatile hairstyling by Changes. Dollie Vardin’s hats set off some race-day dresses from Friends, which Tania manages. Other stores in the Shades Shopping Precinct — Facade, She designer clothes, and Hillary’s Boutique — were represented. Accessories, from Idle Eyes, and Bag City, added to looks presented in brief, punchy sections; Brigid Brock’s working of distinctive patterned leathers stood out and confirmed her growing international recognition as a hide designer. She cuts leather with pliant ease in shapes others would shy away from in more drapable fabrics.

Coupled with the graphic prints she uses — such as white geometries on black — and colours like lime green it was no surprise to see that some in the audience had invested in her output. No doubt many attending were underpinned by Bendon, part of the new range of which was shown by Hope Perrin. Some of Bendon’s excellent lace all-in-ones would have complemented the showing of the more sedate lingerie. “Out of Africa” outfits, amusingly presented safari-style by gun-toting models, moved a man behind me to call “You can catch me,” as a model aimed in his general direction. A complimentary wine, and bar prices not as exorbitant as some feared had set the scene. Most of the 500-plus crowd stayed on to dance for a taste of the cherry-flavoured smoke beneath the revolving light beams.