Story behind THAT dress

Brigitte Masters was acquitted for her charge. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The man behind the infamous "battle of the blondes" has spoken out for the first time about the catfight involving a dress, a friend and his ex-girlfriend - a scrap that sparked headlines around the world.

Matt Vibert, an engineer from Ohariu Valley, near Wellington, was at the centre of a media storm last month when his friend Victoria Clapham and his ex-girlfriend, Brigitte Masters, appeared in court after a fight over a silver dress.

Clapham wore the dress for a night on the town. But Vibert had bought it for his former partner Masters, who saw them out. A fracas broke out which left Clapham in hospital after being cut by a champagne glass held by Masters.

Masters was acquitted of a charge of wounding with intent to injure, but not before media from as far as India and the United States had picked up on the saga.

Speaking for the first time, Vibert said he could see trouble brewing the night of the incident. He realised Masters had seen Clapham walk into the women's toilet.

"I was going to stand up and say something. [But] if I stood up she would have made a big fuss about it and I would have got kicked out of the bar."

So he couldn't stop the fight, which the court was told was over the dress.

"I was shocked. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it had happened and I'm disgusted that it happened.

"The way that I see it is she intended for a confrontation and she got it."

The jury, however, found her not guilty after lawyer Mike Antonovic told them there was no intention to hurt Clapham, and Masters was defending herself when she threw up her hands.

Vibert said the irony was that Masters hadn't wanted the silver dress in the first place.

He had returned from a trip to the United States with presents for Masters. "My friend and his partner recall her sitting on the end of the bed sulking that the dresses [including a blue one] were ugly and didn't look like they were going to fit," said Vibert.

His relationship with Masters was not without its ups and downs.

"It was my first serious relationship. I did a lot for her and got f**k all back."

Even so, he had big plans. "I was going to ask her to marry me on her 21st birthday."

He also said Masters was dominating. "She didn't want me hanging out with other chicks unless they had boyfriends."

But Masters, contacted this week, disputed this. "I felt like I was asking his permission to do everything."

She said Vibert would break up with her as many as five times a week.

Vibert and Clapham, who rode horses together in their teens, had never been romantically involved.

But the trial had brought them closer. "We've spoken a lot. I've been there giving her support."

Vibert was in Adelaide while the trial took place but is pleased the incident is behind him. "I'm just glad that it's all over and done with."