By Chloe Schneider
Last night the Opera House was flooded with Sydney’s fashion elite, all waiting to see which girl would leave the show as ‘Australia’s Next Top Model’.
Meanwhile in Beverley Hills, stars gathered for the Hollywood Film Awards Gala to recognise cinematic achievements.
Victoria Beckham has seen unprecedented success with her fashion line, we check out how her design career has made her year.
Montana Cox Named Next Top Model
Alex Perry, Sarah Murdoch, Josh Flinn, Charlotte Dawson, Jacinta Campbell, Didier Cohen, Megan Gale and so many more stars and fashion heavyweights gathered at the beautiful Sydney Opera House last night for the live finale of Australia’s Next Top Model.
This season, the show’s seventh, has been named one of the show’s best and the top three girls-Brisbane’s Liz Braithwaite, Wollongong’s Simone Holtznagel and Melbourne’s Montana Cox-showed talent beyond what anyone expected.
It was an unsurprising win for Montana who had been a favourite amongst both the public and the big wigs of Fashion. Right throughout the show, Montana proved she had the makings of a model, showing poise, grace and maturity beyond her 18 years.
Now the rising star is off to New York where she will meet with leading agency Next. She has also scored a contract with Chic Management, a Ford Fiesta Zetec and $20,000 cash courtesy of TRESemme.
Perhaps the best part of the prize for the model in the making is her Harper’s Bazaar cover and eight-page spread.
Congratulations Montana; we can’t wait to watch your rise to fame!
Hollywood Film Awards Gala
The 15th Annual Hollywood Film Awards Gala attracted a bevy of A-listers to the red carpet at the Beverly Hilton Hotel last night.British beauty Carey Mulligan was honoured as best supporting actress for her role in Shame.
The 26-year-old star looked stunning in a Bottega Veneta dress and Ferragamo shoes, saying in her speech, “This means a lot because I wasn’t an obvious choice for this part. I begged [director Steve McQueen] for the part. It was the best experience of my life.”
Don Murry, Marilyn Monroe’s Bus Stop co-star, presented Michelle Williams with the Actress of the Year award for her part in ‘My Week as Marilyn’, saying, “I’m the last of the on-screen lovers of Marilyn monroe and I still just happn to have a body that actually works…” This is yet another accolade for the performance that has some serious Oscar buzz around it. The pixie-haired star, 31, wore a stunning navy blue sily Nina Ricci gown with a metal and sequin embroidered neckline.
George Clooney received a standing ovation on the night as he was honoured for his role in ‘The Descendants’. The hunk, who is headed for Australian shores later this year, walked the red carpet with girlfriend Stacey Keibler who looked every bit the movie star’s girlfriend in a stunning purple frock. The pair have taken their relationship to the public space a lot more lately; this is one of many recent red carpet appearances together.
And Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 took away the big prize with the Hollywood Movie of the Year award.
Victoria Beckham’s Designer Glory
Former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham has seen volumes of success for her fashion line that no one expected. The designer raked in a reported £15 million from her fashion line in the first three months of 2011 alone — a sales increase of 71 per cent since last season!
Victoria Beckham designs have been spotted on celebs such as Cheryl Cole and Elle Macpherson.A source close to the 37-year-old designer said: “Victoria never dreamed her clothing range would be successful. She is close to eclipsing her husband David!”
With these figures, there’s little doubt her more recently launched second, more affordable range, Victoria by Victoria Beckham, will see huge success. Of the more girly line, Beckham said, “It’s definitely channelling my inner girl. I started this collection before I was pregnant and the doctors told me at first I was having a boy. So mainly I wanted to do dresses that I wanted, that weren’t ‘out there’ – and at the same time show that, contrary to what most people think, I do have a sense of humour.”
