Fun & Famous

HOW MAY FOUND A GALA DRESS IN FOUR HOURS

Just as I had envisioned an evening in comfortable clothes on the couch, crackling fireplace, filled glass of red, and a pack of well-behaved sleeping kids one floor up, my beloved's phone rang. Two beautiful spots had opened up at The Televizier-Ring Gala and whether we might just...

Beloved looked cautiously up at me from the right under his eyebrows. He was incredibly aware of my long-awaited couch evening. I nodded, let's do it, knowing what kind of circus would break loose now. Tuxedo, shirt, bow tie, patent shoes; that should work, because I have those in a fixed place (having learned from experience, among other things from this spectacular evening). But me. What should I wear?

I do have some nice outfits in my closet, but I don't stock up on Televizier-Ring Gala-proof outfits.

First, I texted my friends from The Building for a hairdo. That was at least arranged. Then I texted Joyce, the business partner of Claes Iversen. When her response was delayed, I probed Edwin Oudshoorn. On vacation. I called Mart Visser. It wouldn't work out on such short notice, which I completely understood. Rob Sintenie from one of my favorite stores Players in Haarlem had not yet received his party clothes and now had more casual stuff, and I had pretty much worn all the red carpet looks from Pauw.

It was now twelve o'clock in the afternoon.

The phone rang. Joyce from Claes. They were in a meeting and had immediately discussed some options for me. She sent me an email with preferences from their head of the atelier who thought it would look good on me. “And does the head of the atelier also think I can fit that?” You should know that Claes' couture is tailored for slender bodies.

I jumped into my brand new Renault Clio towards the Koivistokade and fell in love with a cream-colored Claes. Only... The corset didn't close. But there were Toon and Marc, the heroes of the atelier. They gently pushed and pulled and devised a trick to ‘connect’ the ends of the corset. If I gave them a few hours, everything would be just fine.

With done hair and two bottles of drink as thanks, I drove back past Claes Iversen headquarters at the end of the day where Toon and Marc molded me into the dress and ‘connected’ the corset. You couldn't get more AbFab than when I filled the Clio in a gala dress and stepped out in my street, but when I walked a few hours later next to my great love (in tuxedo, also succeeded) over the red carpet, it actually looked like this day had been on the agenda for weeks and the preparation had gone as smoothly as possible...