Not just because one was the ample bossomed party girl Sharon Sargeant who became something of an Internet star in India when her picture from the same event last year was featured in the Times Of India newspaper, but it was also her seemingly new partner, an inscrutable looking gentleman in a rather magnificent robe that drew many comments
Even the Shuttle, well used to seeing the world's most famous private eye Frank Monte around town was momentarily fooled and thought Sargeant had found a new paramour.Monte's superb disguise fooled all, particularly as he wandered the room nodding and saying hello to various friends who looked perplexed at the sight of the stranger greeting them.
It was possibly the best costume of the night. According to one guest the ball's mastermind actress Rachel Ward voiced that opinion whilst her husband, actor and producer Bryan Brown noted that the cloak Monte wore would be ideal for a feature film he had in mind.
Monte's robe was an amazing original Emperor's gown from the Shang Dynasty (3000 years ago) which normally hangs in a case on a wall in his New York office.
"When I heard that the theme was Shanghai Chic I thought it was the prefect outfit even though Shanghai didn't actually exist when this ceremonial gown was created. I bought in Paris 25 years ago and it was authenticated by the National Palace Museum in Taipei. They've said when the time is right, they would love to add it to their collection of Chinese antiquities which is the best in the world."
Until then, Monte is having the cloak crated and shipped back to New York,.
Brisbane held the first matches last week followed by Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.
All eyes will be on the star attraction- handsome young Argentinian player Baron Jakob Von Plessen.
