Forget the first Monday in May, this year, in Melbourne, it's all about the last Saturday in August. The NGV are throwing a gala to celebrate the opening of The House of Dior: 70 Years of Haute Couture, and you're invited... provided you've got a cheeky $500 to spend on a ticket.
The party, which let's face it, is the closest Australia will get to a Met Ball, will go from 8pm til 1am; with a preview and dinner (chef TBC) for those prepared to up their ticket cost to $2,000. Those attending the dinner will be the first to see the Dior exhibition, and they'll also be underwriting the National Gallery of Victoria for years to come.
The best news? Unlike at this year's Met Ball, where turning up in a frothy, elegant, classically feminine gown was a fashion faux pas on the same level as wearing post-2014 Margiela to a Seder, this event is inviting you to go all-out-glamour. Dior pretty much invented modern red carpet dressing, so you can make like every actress ever, go full Grace Kelly and be perfectly in theme.
So start planning your outfit – Time Out recommends a 'We Should All Be Feminists' t-shirt and a beaded tulle skirt – and saving your pennies.
If you're really, really lucky, Rihanna might show up and make the rest of us look like amateurs.
Need somewhere to pick up a 'new look' gown? Head to Melbourne's best vintage shops.