Sunny start for hunky Kris
It was a coincidence that brought Myer ambassador Kris Smith and former partner Dannii Minogue to Perth on the same day.
Smith is the star attraction at the retailer's annual fashion lunch today as part of Telstra Perth Fashion Festival, while The X Factor judge flew in to be front row at last night's opening-night event which featured one of her favourite Australian designers, ae'lkemi.
But Smith told Access All Areas their fly-in, fly-out visits meant his and Minogue's four-year-old son Ethan remained at home in Melbourne.
"We both have such busy schedules so he has had to stay there and that's the reason I am flying home straight after the lunch," said Smith, who is also co-host of Seven's The Daily Edition.
"I can pick him up and we can have a dad and lad weekend. Dannii is over here; she was on my flight yesterday (Tuesday) so we had a good chat on the flight."
Smith's model girlfriend Maddy King was also hoping to accompany him to Perth but could not make it over because of study commitments.
Meeting AAA at Scarborough Beach yesterday, Smith said he felt blessed that the WA weather was kind to him on this trip - the hunk was met with stormy skies on both his previous visits for the Myer Fashion Lunch.
The 36-year-old's presence is one of the reasons the event sells out year-on-year and Smith said it was surreal to get that kind of response from local fashionstas.
"It leaves me looking behind myself, thinking 'Are they staring at me or is it someone behind me that has come out'," he laughed.
"It makes me feel so good. At certain times on catwalks you are told to look serious or edgy and inquisitive but in Perth I just can't but smile."
However, Smith warned that minders behind the runway at the State Reception Centre would have to keep a close eye on the new season threads.
"I've got my eyes on a few things so I apologise, Perth, if anything goes missing backstage - that would be the Manchester boy," he said with a grin.
Yesterday Smith also had the chance to tour the new Myer store being built in Joondalup as part of the multimillion-dollar redevelopment of Lakeside shopping centre.
It is expected to open on November 20 and the former rugby league player said he was keen to see how construction was coming along.
"I have my hard hat at the ready and my hi-vis vest," Smith said. "It's going to be good. I get to see a lot of the finished products but never new stores being built.
