Miss Universe-Australia entrant Laura Dundovic in a million-dollar millinery masterpiece by Nadia Trowsdale.IT TAKES about a thousand laughing, gossiping women to generate a roar close to the decibel level of a jet taking off.
Yesterday, for the VRC's traditional Oaks Club luncheon held between Cup and Oaks days at Crown, there were almost 1500 of them.
"It's a great chance to dress up and have some fun," shouted one of them, Lisa Wohnsdorf, above the noise.
For the third year in a row, she had mustered a table of friends and here they were, frocked up in full race wear for champagne and Indian-style treats served on blue-and-gold silk brocade cloths with tumbled centrepieces of
pink and purple orchids.
They finished their meal with tiny glass tubs of chocolate mousse, mango puddings, rose-flavoured gulab jamun sweets speckled with real gold leaf, and even deeper gossip.
"I just love it — it's a lovely girls' day out," said Ms Wohnsdorf, adding quickly that she has nothing against mixed company: "I do like that there are a few men splattered about here." Her Freudian slip triggered more hoots of laughter.
Most were oblivious that several of the VRC's Cup Week celebrities were dotted around the room including Sex and the City author Candace Bushnell.
Statuesque beauty Miss Universe-Australia Laura Dundovic also wandered among the tables wearing a crystal-crusted cloche hat by designer Nadia Trowsdale, valued at $1 million, but most didn't seem to notice.
When British singing quartet Blake took the stage for a set of romantic ballads including Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah, and a candelabra set one table on fire, the roar in Crown's huge, low-lit Palladium room did drop to a simmer.
But, with Amy Pearson's full-bodied performance, it rudely rose again and at least one table spent the duration of her song lamenting US rocker Chris Isaak's absence this year.
At his last Oaks Club luncheon gig two years ago, Isaak's drop-dead good looks, wry humour and blood-pumping rock set cranked the room's oestrogen levels to boiling point and triggered perhaps the world's most glamorous, writhing mosh pit at his feet. It's now a tradition, continued at any "ladies lunch" where the entertainment is more rock than romance.
"Yes, he knew how to get everyone involved," said Ms Wohnsdorf simply.
Melbourne Cup week continues today with Oaks day, also known as Ladies' Day, at Flemington.
