L Event: Helena's Shoes

THE L EVENT - RACHEL SHELLEY Q & A - THISTLE HOTEL, HEATHROW, SUNDAY 27TH NOVEMBER 2005 Question: Can we find out about the shoes? Rachel: Yeah, we have a shoe thing going on here. I don't know how many of you were here for the Q & A with Laurel, and we started talking about the high heeled shoes and a couple of you, when I was doing autographs and talking, we were talking about the whole shoe thing. High heel.. I mean like whether you guys believe that it's too fantastical that these women like Bette and me walk around in 5 inch heels. Or whether you think it's glamorous and good and you like it. I mean, what do you think? Who thinks that it's kind of glamorous and fun that we dress up like this? (audience applaud) Who thinks it's a bit misrepresentative and they'd like it to be different? Who thinks that? Who hasn't got a clue what I'm talking about (audience laughs), which looks like the majority of you. (Rachel puts her hand up) Just like "I don't know what you're saying! It's Sunday!" What would you say? I think that was split. Question: Yeah, I think that was definitely split. Rachel: (in a high voice) No one seems to care too much, that's what it looked like. But one thing I did bring, cos I was talking yesterday. (Rachel gets a pair of shoes out of the bag she brought on stage). A pair of shoes, and I think that's maybe 5 inches. Look at that (someone shouts out from the audience, asking for Rachel to put them on to show us, and of course she obliges.) These are Stella McCartney, I don't know how well she's known outside England. She is quite a well known designer isn't she, Stella McCartney? So these shoes cost maybe £400, £500. And you know I wore them a couple of times on the show. I tottered around in them and then they gave them to me. They've sat on my shelf collecting dust and I think they look like little works of art. They're incredible, but I've never worn them. I've never worn them out, except as Helena on the show. I don't know, I was wondering whether anybody wanted them. (audience laughs and applaud). Yeah? Question: Well I did say yesterday that I've got a brand new handbag, so I guess the shoes might go with it. Rachel: The shoes might go. Now, I was wondering... I don't know how to do this because I'd love to give them away. But I don't know how to work it out, if there's a f.. maybe... (audience member suggests an auction for charity). Auction for charity? That's a good idea, do you want to do that? Do you want to do that now or... (audience applaud) Umm, okay what charity? What's your favourite charity? Well I would say Cancer Research but I don't know whether there's something that... (audience applaud) Yeah? Okay let's do that. Ooh, I'm putting my shoes on the wrong feet. Look at that. (audience laughs) Oops! (someone asks what size they are) Umm, it's a 6 that's 39 for Europeans. They're Stella McCartney, worn just a few times. What do I hear? (audience laughs) Who'll start me at... (a male voice says £10) £10, £40, £50, £100. Do I hear more? Huh? (a male voice says £300 and Rachel nearly falls off her chair, I think it was one of the Starfury guys) £300? From a big L Word fan over here. (audience laughs) We don't need to ask questions. (Rachel shakes her head). Do I hear more than £300 for them? This is fantastic, if we get £300 for them. (to the male high bidder) You're scared now, you might have to get them. (audience laughs) You know we're gonna want to see you in them. (audience laughs and applaud) Okay, I hear £300. Ooh, a bunch of people have just walked in. £400? Thank you, £400 up there. For those of you who've just walked in, this is a pair of Stella McCartney Helena shoes that have been collecting dust on my shelf and we're raffling them quickly (Ah bless! Rachel means auctioning really) for Cancer Research. (someone shouts out from the audience "Can we make payments" and Rachel laughs) Yeah, we'll work out a plan with monthly interest all that sort of stuff. Umm, and these actually say, I'm not lying, they say on the bottom 'suitable for vegetarians'. So there you go, now more of you will want them. So we have £400, where have you gone? That's fantastic £400, anyone wanna give a little bit more? £400 going once, £400 going twice, £400 going three times. Thank you very much, what's your name? (buyer shouts out 'Shirley') Shirley, thank you very much. We'll work that out afterwards. Okay, that's brilliant thank you very much. That's good. (audience applaud) It would seem that Rachel's favourite word is fantastic, as she uses it quite a lot. Yes, I think she likes the word fantastic... a lot!