Camilla conquers The World

Gina Rinehart

       As it departs Australian shores, news comes of a major success for fashion designer Camilla Franks onboard the most luxurious liner sailing the seven seas, The World.

The World

  Franks, one of the countries most successful low profile designers was invited to show her summer caftan range at a fashion show for The World's pasengers, many of whom live permanently onboard the liner as it cruises the world.

      With a limited budget that prevented her hiring professional models, Camilla hit upon a unique idea-why not have the passengers walk the catwalk. And so they did at a parade that turned out to be not only fun for the ship's residents, but a financial success for Franks who sold out her complete range.

       And one of those who purchased around 20 caftans-Australia's richest woman, the reclusive West Australian iron-ore billionairess Gina Rinehart.

Camilla Franks

    For Franks, her meeting with Rinehart was the second within the last few months. Camilla and her mother had run into Rinehart, the daughter of the late Lang Hancock last year while showing her wares in a Mediterranean port when Rinehart happened upon the showing and purchased 30 caftans-ideal clothing for a lazy summer sailing the Med. 

At number 30, Gina's husband John called a halt to the sale : " Enough to see you through the summer dear". Obviously Gina thought not quite-she now has at least 50 Franks designs in her wardrobe.

With a rapidly rising fortune estimated at $4B due to the mineral resources boom, Rinehart could soon be the richest Ausssie, displacing James Packer and the Westfield shopping centre king Frank Lowy.

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Brother Andre-died before he was born !

As the Catholic Church shores up it's Australian constituency with the expected announcement that Mother Mary McKillop will achieve sainthood, the London Daily Mail newspaper reports on another candidate :

"Brother Andre, who founded Saint Joseph Oratory in Canada. Born on August 9, 1945 under the name of Alfred Bessette, Bother Andre, died on January 6, 1937 in Montreal"

Surely one of the greatest miracles of all time-St Andre died 8 years before he was born !



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Sydney Morning Herald scribe Matt Buchanan has at last picked up the tale reported by the Social Shuttle nearly 3 months ago-singer George Michael will be a guest at the 2010 Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras on Saturday 6th March. 

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Johnny Weir

UPDATE 2. All is forgiven- although American Olympic ice-skating star Johnny Weir has been pipped at the post by team-mate Evan Lysacek who picked up gold, he has forgiven his Nine TV network detractor and Olympic commentator Eddie McGuire who ripped into Weir with a series of homophobic statements about Weir's costumes. Weir gave a coy smile into the Ch 9 cameras tonight and expressed his desire to visit Oz.

McGuire

Eddie 'Everywere" McGuire responded to Johnny that he was welcome to stay at his place. Isn't that nice ?

Meanwhile membership of the Facebook page "Eddie Mcguire is ruining the 2010 Winter Olympics coverage" first reported by this blog yesterday now has 6274 members!