Camilla : Ajay Rochestor wants An Apology

Ajay Rochestor wears Camilla with Derek Warburton (inset).

She really does deserve one.
 Ajay is living in the USA forging a new career but has been the target of reverse Tall Poppy Syndrome attacks from her home country.

a real woman !

As the Shuttle reported last week. Camilla Franks has been cleaned out of her new Gypsy range after a break-in at her Bondi store but now her stylist has reportedly made a mean statement in Ros Reines' Sunday Telegraph column about Ajay's appearance on the catwalk wearing a Camilla caftan- and looking sensational- in the finale of New York Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, the Real Fashion. Real Women-Bottomless Closet parade organised and hosted by top New York stylist Derek Warburton.
Camilla's rep is reported as saying : "I'm sure that she (Camilla) felt much happier about the gorgeous Jennifer Lopez wearing one of her kaftans". Oh really ?. Earth to stylist : apart from being a bit ill-mannered, the very nice Camilla ain't going to survive on lending kaftans to the likes of Jennifer Lopez.  
The Real Women Real Fashion parade was an industry supported event to try and prove that the fashion industry cares about its real consumer, the women who wear the clothes. A worthy ambition one would think but brought undone by the words of a representative of one of the designers on show. Ajay (and her co-models) demonstrated far more grace and style on the night.
Is it any wonder that old Shuttle pal (Dame) Vivienne Westwood, one of Europe's most influential designers of the last 50 years and someone who abhors much of the pomposity that surrounds the business turned up at her show in London last week wearing this outfit (right).

Below is a video of the parade from Fashion News Live:

Smash & Grab at Camilla's

Sydney fashion designer Camilla Franks has had her new Spring / Summer range stolen during a daring smash and grab raid at her Bondi Beach store.  According to the Daily Telegraph two thieves by-passed jewellery and other goods and headed straight for Camilla's new 'Gypsy' range, featured here in our snaps which were photographed at the David Jones' fashion parade last month.

Camila's label has gone from success to success and her floaty caftan style frocks are sold around the Mediterranean and are popular with well heeled ladies on the Côte d'Azur. Two years ago the world's richest woman Gina Rinehart cleaned out one boutique in Cannes by snapping up the store's 40 creations while on a shopping trip. St Tropez local Brigitte Bardot has been spotted featuring several of Camila's designs.

                            right : Camilla Franks - below : the Gypsy range.

Read more here.

Colour & Movement from Camilla

Sydney's Mercedes Fashion Weak Week is upon us again. Never mind that the star designers have done a bunk, there's till a load of aspiring newbies willing to stump up 60 grand to show their wares.

 Here are a  few shots from today's parade with the ever so nice Camilla Franks (right) who whips up these wondrous floaty caftans. Zillionaire Gina Rinehart and Oprah Winfrey buy them by the dozen:

 Caftans for blokes (right)

(left) Cardboard cut-out hats-a must.




(right) Where to carry your boomerang-why didn't I think of that?







(below) Caftans For Kids

the Seal Of Approval from Oprah.

Gordana Wears Her Faith to the Hermes Beach Party

 Hermes was throwing a no-shoes beach bash at Nielsen Park and the conditions were perfect as the overbearing and humid weather held off for the day. Party starved Sydney socialites were out in force as dozens arrived in a stream of black limousines.

Natalie Imbruglia & Nickey Joye

Tucked into a roped off section of the beach at the David Grant designed party set : 6 giant Hermes bracelets, a barbecue and several bars serving champagne and cocktails.

Noticeably absent were Sydney's social media who for some unknown reason gave the do a  miss.

Gordana & Mary

Perhaps It was something to do with Hermes boss Karin Upton Baker's on-going dramas. Financially embattled husband Gary Baker looking stressfully slim, arrived  in a humble Toyota albeit with his signature  XXX number plates. The Rolls and Bentley went months ago. And how she did it is a mystery but Karin would have made Houdini proud when she seemingly materialised in the middle of the party crowd thus avoiding the paparazzi.

Lara Bingle & pal

Guests were still arriving at 7.30pm while some who had come earlier were already leaving including designer Trent Nathan who declared 'that's enough' after 30 minutes, Gracie Otto who sped of in a Mercedes on an urgent errand and film producer Margaret Fink who said the sand was playing havoc with her calves.

Gordana Willesee was happy to show off the new tattoo snaking up her arm. A Mother Mary perfectly executed for the committed Catholic who along with husband Mike Willesee had a private meeting with Pope Benedict XV1 during his Aussie visit in 2008.

Erica Heynatz & Andrew Kingston

 Natalie Imbruglia slipped in with a pal.. She'd been spotted earlier that day zipping around town with Justin Hemmes in his 1960's Porsche.

Lara Bingle , Rebel Penfold Russell, Di Hamill, James Gordon, Jonathon Ward, Mandy Quinn, Greg Daniels Gary & Susie Rothwell and restaurateurs Michael & Judy McMahon and almost anyone connected to the fashion industry were amongst the 250 guests.

And we loved  Miss Teen Age International & water skiing champ cum boxer Lauryn Eagle's  'pimp-mobile'- a huge Chevy bearing silver letters on the boot saying MORE MONEY. She roared up to the entrance with South African born boxing champ LoveMore N'dou.

Eventually fleets of luxury buses arrived to transport guests to a mystery destination as guest Pam Murray observed they were part of her husband's 2000 strong fleet.

And the fashion hit of summer (apart from the Hermes accessories worn by most ) featured by at least 8 guests: Camilla Frank's caftans.

Collette Dinigan & Bradley Cocks

James Gordon

Lauryn Eagle & LoveMore N'dou

Julie Schaeffer & friend

Mark Cavanagh, Penny McCarthy, Rebel Russell, Warren Fahey

Guilleume Sadourny & Terry Schwamberg

Camilla Franks new model : Oprah Winfrey

Oprah at her Sydney party last night

Kaftan designer Camilla Franks goes from strength to strength. After opening a new store in Paddington just 3 months ago, an assistant for Oprah Winfrey waltzed in on Friday and snapped up a dozen gowns for Winfrey  to wear whilst in Sydney and for the holiday she plans to take in the Northern Territory after filming 2 shows at the Opera House this week.

Last night Oprah threw a bash for her 300 American guests at Mrs Macquaries' Chair. A huge fenced off marquee shielded out prying eyes (except the Social Shuttle of course).

Since arriving the Americans have been swept off their feet after the surprise trip was sprung on them during Oprah's US show 8 weeks ago. They've travelled to Ulhuru in Central Australia, Byron Bay, North Queensland and attended non-stop parties and harbour cruises and then laden with goody bags of products.

Camilla Franks (second from right).

 Frank's designs sell in 300 outlets around the world. She has a boutique on the luxury liner The World and is planning to open stores in St Tropez and Miami.

# One detail overlooked by the media salivating on every movement of the Big O is the absence of movie star John Travolta who was to pilot a new Qantas 787 transporting Oprah's US guests.

He was booked into the Hotel Intercontinental and 6 security guards had been hired to watch over him whilst in Oz. Now he's gone  MIA with nary a word of explanation from Camp Oprah.

exclusive : Prince William Shops for Household Goods

As our  pic shows HRH Prince William and Kate Middleton have been snapped shopping for a new kettle.

Not quite-this picture is just one of the brilliant series by photographer Alison Jackson who is a genuis with her Royal and celebrity look-a-likes. Check out her photos and videos on her website here.

Below-the Shuttle's favourite vid- Camilla pursued by police.

HRH Prince William's cousin's new modelling career

Camilla Franks (centre)

Alesha Makim, daughter of Jane Ferguson and niece of the Duchess of York has established a new career as a model during the Rosemount Fashion shows at the Sydney Town Hall this week.

Jane Ferguson & daughter Heidi

Alesha Makim-William's cousin

At a special parade at the Paddington Inn as part of the Paddington Alive Festival, Alesha strutted the catwalk to show off some of Camilla Frank's wondrous caftans. Camilla has just opened in Paddington a few doors from the hotel and is one of Australia's low key fashion success stories with her caftan creations now available in 500 outlets throughout the world. 

Particular hot-spots : the South of France, the Mediterranean and the Greek Islands where hardly a luxury yacht or gin palace cruises by without a Camilla designer gown being sported by one of the well heeled ladies aboard. And she is opening her own boutique on The World, the ginormous luxury ocean liner.

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Hot news : As Paul Hogan's lawyers negotiate a deal with the Australian Tax Office that would allow him to return to LA,  various reports have surfaced about the bill the ATO has presented the Aussie larrikan-between $31 to $110 million dollars!

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!