The Audi Fashion Festival 2013 opened last night.  The preliminary madness that surrounded Karl Lagerfeld’s visit to Singapore to launch Chanel’s 2013 Cruise Collection, exactly a week ago, couldn’t have been a better warm up (the Chanel event was a massive operation almost entirely managed out of Paris; they booked out the whole of the Raffles Hotel, roads were closed…it was huge).

Whilst I absolutely didn’t make the cut in terms of meeting Kaiser Karl, (what other man 79 years of old can still elicit genuine squeals of excitement from women of all ages? He cuts a pretty impressive figure) I did manage to see Carolina and the House of Herrera show which opened the fashion festival yesterday evening.

I had the usual nightmare of what on earth to wear to these events. As it was opening night it meant you definitely had to be smarter than usual.

I swiftly came to the conclusion after I had arrived (actually, even before we had registered because we met model Charmaine Harn at the entrance…I mean, she looked fabulous even down to her nails which were black and white striped, see 2nd pic) that I wanted to dash back home so I could change and start all over again.

I really need to buy something simple and black that I can just throw on with a different pair of shoes each time I have to go to something like this (which in fairness is not very often) and which requires minimum effort/thought.  Not quite the high fashion approach but one which might just work for me.

I did at least get the colour right this time – not like last time. Fashion editor black it was:

The only mistake we made, which was fairly crucial, was turning up at the wrong venue…which comes from not reading the invitation properly (1 Republic Boulevard, Marina Bay does not equal Marina Bay Sands):

Not that it actually mattered as we were fashionably late – as was the show which was running about an hour behind schedule.  Our lateness wasn’t helped by the fact that a short, decidedly unglamorous buggy ride had to be taken from the entrance to the main tent which, somehow, always has the instant power to make you feel like a golfer/invalid:

The show was packed with masses of stylish peeps including the lovely Miss M (below) who was channelling the Great Gatsby vibe with a bit more success than I was:

Great shoes too:

The 15 year old fashion blogging sensation Meera was also there. She’d attended the earlier press event (and I dare say the Chanel show too!).

Stylist Karen Ng (below) wearing Marc Jacobs, Balmain and Celine:

Food was by way of mini magnums and to quaff there were adorable small bottles of San Pel softies…and of course, champers:

I was amazed to see people actually eating:

The only hat being sported was this one:

…which turned out to be quite sensible as it was pelting with rain by the time we left (although there’s every chance that wasn’t why she was wearing it *winks*).  My girlfriend Sharanjit, the BBC’s anchor for Singapore, can also be spotted here looking stunning in blue and in the hot seat (front row).

Carolina Herrera is one of my all time favourite designers, (she’s slightly too grown up, price wise, for me and I own nothing from her main label) her clothes are beautifully tailored with a structure as well as a softness to them that has become her signature.

There was a definite 40s vibe to last night’s catwalk show; think gowns and dresses with cinched waists:

I’ll be saving up for this (below) although I’m not sure it would be the best investment piece (fur + topical heat = hot mess):

The show also included clothes from her CH line which has just been launched in Singapore with the store at MBS.

My ticket to Carolina Herrera was courtesy of Mercury Marketing & Communications