going to happen any time soon”. Can you tell us about some of your most memorable/hilarious acting gigs? I cannot tell you how many crazy revues we did! I travelled the country with an acting troupe and we had the best time. It was also when I created my first kaftan talk about a silver lining!
As a little girl I grew up on Glenmore Road and went to preschool just around the corner, so Woollahra really feels like home to me. How did the transition to fashion designing come about? I wanted something free flowing and vibrant to wear while travelling, rehearsing and in between gigs. I took a few cues from my mother’s kaftan collection and created one for my needs. From then, everyone wanted one and from there a business was born. You started the CAMILLA Beach House in Bondi back in 2004, and now you have 17 retail stores, warehouses in Sydney and India, hundreds of wholesale accounts worldwide, and of course various ‘CAMILLA Worlds’ in David Jones stores. How do you keep the authenticity of the bohemian Bondi vibe as the brand continues to evolve into a legitimate global corporation? It’s my DNA and we stay true to the brand. Everything about CAMILLA the brand has and always will be an extension of me. My collections are loud and vibrant, colourful and creative, but they are also global in their reach. The business has grown organically, but I also had and still have a fierce determination to be heard, to create something that is unique to me and to my customer. I travel the world all year on inspiration trips and take thousands of images that become my designs. I collect artefacts, textiles, furniture and more that we use for design and 54 The Beast | October 2016
that we then cycle into my home, showrooms and stores. What is the Australian fashion scene like? Is it as ‘back-stabby’ as films about the industry would have us believe, or is that simply not the case? I think every industry has its politics and competitive nature, but I have also had huge support from industry folk who I now regard as friends and mentors (they know who they are!). The CAMILLA brand is immediately recognisable. Unlike other brands, a CAMILLA dress or kaftan is unmistakably ‘a CAMILLA’. Was creating such a distinctive style a strategic move, or just something that naturally evolved? I created kaftans as I wanted to wear them. I love art and colour and I have never conformed to what is deemed as on trend. The kaftan will always be the beating heart of my collection, but each season we’re branching out and experimenting with different silhouettes like kimonos and palazzo trousers. Part of CAMILLA’s appeal is that women of all different body shapes can wear the designs. There is a freedom and movement and vitality that celebrates, rather than constricts, the female form. Can you tell us about your diverse demographic? CAMILLA’s vision is to awaken the adventurous heart that resides within all of us (no matter who we are), because we believe that everyone has a right to experience freedom and feel joy. I want CAMILLA to be considered and celebrated as a way of being rather than a label that is defined by age, race or culture, and my philosophy has always been that all women have the right to look and feel beautiful no matter their age, colour, size or origin. Our CAMILLA tribe really is the mother, the daughter, the grandmother and the granddaughter. She crosses generations and celebrates life. It is so enriching walking into my stores and seeing mothers and daughters shopping together, and often grandmothers as well. Age
is no restriction to still feeling and looking fabulous these days, and CAMILLA will always celebrate all demographics. CAMILLA embodies the soul of one woman and every woman. CAMILLA has developed a cult following – so much so that the Facebook group ‘CAMILLA Lovers Who Love to Lunch’ has 2,638 members. This group organises lunches around the country where women are invited to attend, the proviso being that they must wear CAMILLA. What do you think of this development? Humbled! But, that’s not the only group. We have a huge following and I am incredibly grateful. You also have a huge celebrity following. When the likes of Oprah, Beyoncé, Kate Hudson, Vanessa Hudgens and Jennifer Lopez are strutting about in your clothes, you know you’re doing something right. Are those relationships something that evolve organically, or do you make a concerted effort to form them? Can you imagine seeing these women wearing your label? I don’t know any designer who wouldn’t be jumping up and down to see that they have chosen something from your collection. Oprah has been a gift to me spiritually and professionally. And Queen B was everything you would expect her to be. A true honour!
The business has grown organically, but I also had and still have a fierce determination to be heard, to create something that is unique to me and to my customer. You have also branched out into menswear, home wares and children’s wear. That is a big operation for one person to lead. How would you describe your leadership style? Are you good with delegation, or