Logies nominees stock up on goody bags

For some, the annual Logie Awards are about the fans, the accolades and the little
gold trophies.
For many, they're about the goody bags.
For the second year in a row, celebrities have been loading up on beauty and hair
products, swimwear, make-up, candles and homewares in the lead up to the awards
ceremony.
Taking their lead from events like the Academy Awards and the Grammys in the US, the
Australian television honours night is following suit by making the gifts available
to all nominees.
So You Think You Can Dance's Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Matt Lee, Biggest Loser's
Shannan Ponton, celebrity journalist Richard Reid and Ready Steady Cook host Peter
Everett are among the big names that had already popped in to pick up their freebies
by Saturday night.
More are expected to visit the gifting suite at the Crown Plaza ahead of Sunday
night's awards ceremony.
A spokeswoman for the event said that while there may be fewer stalls than last
year's Logies, they were of a higher quality.
And all of the recipients have been very grateful, Lisa Bond said.
"We've all really noticed they were gracious and humble and thankful for the gifts,"
she told AAP, as we dropped in to check out the wares on Saturday.
This is in stark contrast to some of the stars' American counterparts who often only
attend events if they are promised big gifts, we are told.
"Australians in general are quite conservative and modest and I think that makes
them quite different to the Americans," brand manager Natalie at the Matrix hair
product stall tells us as she fills up our bags with organic shampoo, conditioner
and Quick and Dirty hair clay.
"Everyone's quite reluctant."
As we select our bikinis of choice, a representative for Kooey Australia swimwear
tells us getting big names to wear their product is great for business.
A heavily pregnant Bassingthwaighte picked one out just minutes earlier, we are told.
"It's all about getting the name out there," Kooey's director Nikki Silverthorne
says, as I select a one-shoulder teal one-piece.
"If they tell all their friends about it, it's another way to get out to a market
that you wouldn't probably normally get access."
We are told that Susie Porter picked out the same candles and shower caps as we have
when we visit the Mozi stall.
Run by two Melbourne sisters with a background in graphic design, the colourful
collection of homewares and fashion also give us an embroidered laundry bag, soaps
and a mug.
Another three sisters are behind the stall at the Xtreme lashes stall.
Although they don't allow anyone to use their fake lash product without it being
professionally applied, they do select lovely plum and graphite colours in our goody
bag of eye liner, mascara and cleanser.
And just to make sure everyone gets all of their goodies home in true style,
Melbourne designer Catherine Manuell stocks us up with rose patterned and red
passport and ticket wallets and matching luggage tags.
As we finish our champagne and struggle out of the room under the weight of all our
goodies we decide that if we were nominated, we wouldn't mind missing out on a gold
statuette.
So long as we bring home the prizes.