Have you become involved in raising awareness of the disease in Australia? “For me, CAMILLA is much more than just a fashion brand. It’s a blazing platform which speaks from the heart to empower, break down barriers and bring about change. “The thing with cancer is that it never truly leaves you. It becomes a part of your story, and only those who have endured this raw fear and threat will understand what I mean by this. I never want my precious little girl or any other family to suffer. “Throughout the journey, I learned to question everything, to surrender and trust in the pure, raw gut instinct of my hippie heart visualising my own healing and path towards the future. As I began to understand my inner workings, my battleground became more peaceful but my determination to fight this beast with every fibre of my being became a mountain in itself and a force to be reckoned with. “In addition to joining forces with the National Breast Cancer Foundation, I also threw myself into the ring for Celebrity Apprentice Australia to further create awareness and raise funds for this cause.”
“Stage forgotten, I set off in pursuit of a new dream and found a slice of paradise right on the golden sands of Bondi Beach - my first boutique! It was my playground and where I cut my teeth in the fashion industry. “I tend to learn things the hard way, there have been many bumps and bruises and hurdles, that I’ve either jumped over or face-planted into. It’s all part of the journey. I wanted to go global, right from the beginning. I used to schlep my collections around, season after season, rejection after rejection, around and around the globe. It was terrifying, lonely and so tiring. Acting gave me the tools to sell myself and my crazy dreams. It's about perseverance: the rejection motivated me even more. “Getting the brand out there seemed like an uphill battle some days. Then you grow and face up to the next challenge. I wish I could go back to that naïve, barefooted Bondi girl and tell her that it was going to be one crazy ride, but that everything was going to be ok.” You battled breast cancer not long after your daughter Luna was born – what helped you to get through that ordeal? “2018 was full on to say the least; the adventure of pregnancy, the magic of birth, the dance with the devil that was cancer and the raw journey of treatment. When the worst of the storm had passed, it was important for me to take some slow and quiet time away where I could focus more on just being a mummy and healing my tired and weary body. I learnt to surrender and simply let go. And with that, the battleground became more peaceful. “Even through the dark and uncertain days, it was also my greatest year – filled with so much beauty. I was surrounded with so much love, kindness, and support. I’ve had my love and light, JP and Luna, as well as my tribe by my side throughout this journey, and am now looking toward our next colourful chapter together. “I wouldn’t change the year that was for the world as it stripped me back to my most vulnerable and true self - and in that there is so much beauty. It forced me to go deep within and ask all the questions as my life was questioned.”
M illi O n A ir magazine
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