SydCon Unleashed: Keanu Reeves’ Sydney jewellery connection
From NRL premiership rings to up-market dog tags, which Sydney business has scored a massive contract with Hollywood star Keanu Reeves’ band? Here’s all the Sydney gossip you missed this week.
Confidential
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The Sydney jewellery business behind the iconic NRL Premiership rings has landed the limited edition merchandise contract for Hollywood star Keanu Reeves’ band, Dogstar.
Affinity Diamonds, based on George Street in the Sydney CBD, has produced 5000 pieces of the dog tags with owner Sam Rahme personally flying to Los Angeles to hand deliver the merch to the band.
Dog Star is an American alternative rock band that formed in 1991 and disbanded in 2002. They’ve reformed this year and have sold out 30 plus shows across the US.
“Dog Star wanted something that their fans would keep as a unique piece to either wear or display,” Rahme said. “After some back and forth with the band and discussions around design, we came up with the black dog tags, which has the band name on one tag and the tour image engraved on the other.”
Affinity Diamonds is a go-to jeweller for Australian celebrities with Sam Burgess most recently proposing to his partner, Lucy Graham, with a diamond sparkler from Rahme and his team.
Tour merchandise is a new arm of the Affinity Diamonds business, having started just before Covid with Rahme creating a gold guitar pick for artists performing at the 2020 Fire Fight concert. They’ve also since made limited edition merchandise pieces for the likes of Queen, Darren Hayes and Guns N Roses.
MEET NSW’S MISS UNIVERSE CONTENDERS
Ever since Newcastle cheerleader Jennifer Hawkins claimed the Miss Universe crown in 2004, the young woman representing Australia on the world stage has captured the nation’s attention.
Household names like Jesinta Franklin, Rachael Finch and Maria Thattil got their starts as Miss Australia.
One of these four New South Wales beauties may be the next to take the $40,000 prize, and a plane ticket to the international contest in El Salvador.
On Friday, Farida Singatoulina, 19, Sené Walupai, 25, Tash Knox, 21, and Victoria Camporeale, 23, will compete for the 2023 title against 20 finalists from other states.
“I feel like NSW has the most ambiguous vibe,” Singatoulina told The Daily Telegraph in-between rehearsals.
The professional actor and model from the eastern suburbs applied spontaneously.
“The other states have mostly blonde and blue-eyed women, whereas between the four of us, we represent many cultures,” she said.
The Beijing Film Academy graduate has an eclectic Russian and Chinese heritage and speaks three languages.
“Most countries in Miss Universe present their stereotypical beauty standard, year after year. Australia always brings out a really different girl each year. We are a diverse nation, and that keeps people guessing,” she added.
Knox, who is completing university studies to become a clinical psychologist, said she signed on to represent the LGBTQ+ community.
“I really struggled to feel comfortable with my sexuality, and want to see more openly queer women represent themselves,” she said.
Meanwhile, First Nations and Pasifika model Maluwapi intends to use the contest to advocate for Indigenous representation in the Australian fashion industry, and for climate change protection of her Torres Strait Islands home.
Maluwapi moved out of home at age 15, and has been based in Eora, Sydney.
“I have been modelling since the age of 14 and have used my modelling career for the past five years to extend the acknowledgment of First Nations and POC in creative spaces,” she said.
“If I’m being completely honest, participating in Miss Universe was never a part of my life plan or goals. Initially, I was contacted via Instagram by the MUA team and at first glance, I thought it wasn’t for me,” the Samu and Gaidai Clans woman said. “My key motivation of entering was my Indigenous community – Torres Strait Islands, is at the front lines of climate change. There has also never been a First Nations Miss Universe Australia.”
Like Maluwapi, Bankstown legal aid worker Camporeale was approached to sign up.
The 23-year-old has two bachelor’s degrees under her belt, and uses them to help asylum seekers and women from disadvantaged backgrounds.
“The opportunities and networking that comes from this is amazing, even if you’re not crowned,” she added.
TURNBULL’S FAUX PAS
Malcolm Turnbull was at the opening show of musical Miss Saigon at Sydney’s Opera House this week, but Confidential – ever the sleuth and seated directly above him – noticed the former prime minister was seemingly distracted by his phone that was glowing in the crowd in Joan Sutherland Theatre.
Mr Turnbull, who once promised he would never become a “Trappist monk” after politics and lambasted some former prime ministers as behaving like “miserable ghosts”, fired off a tweet at 7.27pm – three minutes before the show was due to start – attacking The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper for claiming Prime Minister Anthony Albanese would be the first Aussie leader to visit the Philippines in two decades.
“Sigh! Once facts were checked. This statement from today’s @smh is false … I visited the Philippines in 2015 and 2017,” a tetchy Turnbull tweeted moments before the curtain was drawn.
A contrite apology for what we assume all our readers would view as a terribly egregious error appeared on page two of editor Bevan Shield’s masthead the following Monday.
But we can’t help but think Mr Turnbull was perhaps more preoccupied with his prime ministerial legacy instead of enjoying the superb Miss Saigon, a love story set during the Vietnam War.
Come on, Mal, log off Twitter and enjoy the show – you would hate to resemble a miserable ghost, wouldn’t you?
LAURA JAYES SPLITS FROM HUSBAND
Popular TV host Laura Jayes has quietly split from husband Alex Hart, a former journo turned government relations specialist.
Jayes is a long-time and well-regarded journalist for Sky News Australia and hosts the AM Agenda program weekday mornings.
Confidential understands the pair remain close friends and that the split was amicable as they put all attention into parenting their two young children.
Jayes and Hart were married in 2015 at Waverley Estate in Adelaide. While both leading public lives, they have kept their private lives just that.
LOOKALIKE DINER REPLACES KAREN’S, WITHOUT SIDE OF RUDENESS
It’s out with the salty service and in with family-friendly dining and decadent desserts at a cafe that’s replaced the short-lived Karen’s Diner in western Sydney.
Forget the rude service of Karen’s Diner – Choc & Co has replaced the eatery at North Rocks Shopping Centre and is all about dishing up a wholesome experience with a dose of indulgent fare from cocktails to doughnuts.
The spacious 200-seat venue opened its doors on August 24 following the June collapse of Karen’s Diner – a chain celebrated for its signature and deliberate rude service.
Co-owner Kevin Caswell, who was the restaurant manager at Karen’s North Rocks, assures customers Choc & Co is the complete opposite to Karen’s, which was open in the suburb for just eight months.
“It’s nice service, good environment and family friendly,’’ he said.
“I think in terms of longevity the rude service at Karen’s was starting to wear off and the novelty was starting to wear off.’’
In eight months, the diner racked up 83 complaints about rude service going too far, with many diners such as grandparents in large groups unaware about the rude concept and they became unwitting targets.
“Sometimes we would have instances of people who wanted more abuse and some who wanted less so it was a very tricky set up,’’ Caswell said.
Now, the “bipolar opposite” Choc & Co is winning back customers, especially locals who Caswell says are key for the business to survive.
“We’ve had a lot of feedback – especially from mums bringing their kids in after school – who said ‘We get that rude service was of interest but we’re glad it’s gone’.’’
The food is similar to American fare of burgers and fries but dessert options are more extensive compared with Karen’s sweet choices.
There are eight doughnut flavours including Nutella, Biscoff and vanilla custard which customers have embraced after snapping up 100 in the first three days.
Cookies and cream crepes and golden chocolate waffles with Caramilk-style fillings are a winner.
Take your pic of waffles, crepes or pancakes with dessert which one of the 12 staff will serve in the indoor or alfresco area.
Like Karen’s, there will be diner staples but with a twist including hot burgers.
The fiery burger is stacked with jalapeño, chipotle and onion rings or hot buffalo wings can be snapped up for other spicy kicks.
Morning commuters are also catered for with coffee and doughnuts at the kiosk entrance before the restaurant opens at noon.
Karen’s Diner announced its collapse in June after the company behind it, Viral Ventures, went into liquidation on May 30.
The chain launched its first diner in Sydney city in October 2021 before branching out in Adelaide and Brisbane.
GIDDY UP SYDNEY!
Get ready to see your favourite racecourse transformed into the epicentre of glitz and glamour in Sydney with the countdown on to the annual Everest Carnival.
Festivities begin today with the Sydney Everest Carnival lunch, a grand introduction to TAB Everest Day, the world’s richest race on turf, which will feature the best sprinters globally competing for the $20 million prize money.
Legendary Sydney jeweller Nic Cerrone, is once again supporting the event for the fourth year running with a one-of-a-kind necklace, valued at $32,000 which will be the featured raffle prize piece this year.
The luncheon will draw over 400 guests, bringing together the best in the entertainment, fashion and racing world and host a charity raffle and silent auction with all proceeds raised on the day being donated to SpinalCure Australia.
“We are thrilled to be the charity partner at the Sydney Everest Carnival Long Lunch, continuing our partnership with the ATC Foundation,” SpinalCure Australia chief executive Kathryn Borkovic said.
Cerrone, one of Australia’s most respected fine jewellers designed this year’s necklace with an impressive 18ct white gold London topaz and diamond chain the value of which is set at $32,000.
“It’s the start of spring and everyone is ready to get out, dress up and be part of the wonderful atmosphere in Sydney,” Cerrone said.
Sydney model Jordan Simek was dressed to impress in the sparkling necklace at Royal Randwick posing alongside racehorse, Aussie. Simek said it was the “most expensive” she’s ever felt, while wearing the creation.
Cerrone also designs and creates the iconic Everest Trophy in partnership with the ATC. It will be awarded to the winner of the TAB Everest in October at Royal Randwick and is valued at more than $800,000.
“The Everest Trophy has become as iconic as the race itself! To craft a new trophy every year takes six to seven months,” Cerrone said. “Assembling the horse from five different parts and then setting 550ct of black diamonds and 32ct of white diamonds. Every time one is completed, the team and I sit back in awe of its grandeur and presence
BRUCE UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT
Bruce Lehrmann has new representation – not to navigate the legal jungle, but the media one.
The former Liberal staffer and defendant in an aborted high profile sex assault trial that some suggested was Australia’s answer to Bonfire of the Vanities has hooked up with ex-campaign strategist and former British American Tobacco global political affairs chief Mark Connell to manage his public image going forward.
“Mark has been a personal friend for some time and he brings outstanding political, corporate and media intellect,” Lehrmann told Confidential. “It has been a deeply traumatic few years being falsely accused and convicted by the media. Mark will be an asset alongside me as manager and confidante.”
Contacted by Confidential, Connell said simply, “Bruce is a good person and he’s been through a traumatic time. I was more than happy to put my hand up to help.”
OLYMPIANS BACK IN UNIFORM
Our Olympians will be dressed in green and gold by iconic sportswear brand Sportscraft at the Paris 2024 Games.
The hundred-year-old label has announced they’re the Olympic uniform supplier, for the ninth consecutive year.
“My Sportscraft blazer has pride of place in my wardrobe at home,” Olympic table tennis player Michelle Bromley (pictured with Rugby Sevens star Henry Hutchison) told Confidential.
“The Olympic blazer, to me, culminates 20-plus years of hard work for me to finally live out my dream of competing at an Olympic Games.”
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