Predictions of a troupe of balletcore-inspired tutu-clad princesses descending on the Birdcage at Flemington for Derby Day failed to materialise, with streamlined looks sporting angular details dominating the celebrity set, led by visiting Australian model Abbey Lee at the Lexus marquee. On the day with the most defined dress code of the carnival, black looks outnumbered white by a ratio of three to one. Lindy Klim, having just relocated to Melbourne from Bali, was wearing a lingerie-inspired Dolce & Gabbana dress that leaned heavily into trends from the European runways.
But elsewhere, classic racewear reigned, with peplums, polka dots and pillbox hats aplenty. These were some of the best looks from around the grounds. Melissa Leong Melissa Leong at Lexus in Maticevksi.
Credit: Eddie Jim Dress: Maticevski Millinery: Scanlan Theodore Former MasterChef host Melissa Leong dressed for Derby Day with optimism in mind. “I think that there’s a little bit of joy coming back to the way people are dressing and feeling,” she said. In a finely pleated dress from Melbourne designer Toni Maticevski, the fashion devotee said she is a stickler for racewear’s dress codes.
“I really like the rules because it gives a structure that you build around or at least subvert.” The rules had slightly more structure than the dress, which took on a life of its own in the Flemington wind. “It’s a bit feminine and a bit flirty and works really well in the breeze,” she said.
Damien Woolno.
