Camilla Franks on the fashion week backlash

In an exclusive interview, designer Camilla Franks reveals how she dealt with the public uproar over disabled model Lisa Cox’s runway mishap, revealing “when the hiccup happened, my heart sank.”

In an exclusive interview, designer Camilla Franks reveals how she dealt with the backlash when she came to the aid of Stellar cover star Lisa Cox during Fashion Week earlier this year, how she was moved to tears when she saw a woman breastfeeding her baby, and why we all need a bit of escapism.

“I wanted to celebrate women in all their beautiful forms, and I broke industry boundaries by using diverse models of different shapes, backgrounds, ages, sexualities, genders and abilities.” (Picture: Supplied)

Can you take us back to June of this year? You were sitting in the front row at Afterpay Australian Fashion Week when our cover star Lisa Cox came down the runway in one of your bespoke designs…

I had goosebumps. Seeing Lisa on the runway felt like a moment in time.

When I first started out in fashion [18 years ago], I wanted to celebrate women in all their beautiful forms, and I broke industry boundaries by using diverse models of different shapes, backgrounds, ages, sexualities, genders and abilities.

So, when Fashion Week approached me to close the show this year, it was important for me to continue that celebration – and I was over the moon to work with Lisa.

What was going through your mind when the wheels on Lisa’s wheelchair became stuck?

When the hiccup happened, my heart sank. I looked at Lisa and just jumped on that runway. There was a real sense of inner strength between us, and we felt like two squealing children up there together.

Of course, it was a shame that it happened – it was not OK that the runway was not accessible. IMG Focus and Fashion Week [who produced the show, which featured 18 designers] stuffed up; they acknowledged it and there have been a lot of learnings.

You copped a lot of backlash afterwards. What have you learnt from the experience?

It was really hard because of my gooey heart, and because of what we stand for as a company. Unlike other brands, we’ve got extended sizes – from 2X small to 4X large.

We have a modest range, for people who need to cover up, we’re passionate about de-gendering fashion and coming together as a rainbow family. So it was frustrating to have to deal with trolls for weeks on end over something we had no control over.

I want to thank Lisa for holding my hand through it all and teaching me what it is to be a true warrior.

What does inclusion mean to you?

It’s authenticity and acceptance. There’s beauty in everything, and we need to honour that and be representative of that.

Camilla Franks says she hopes her new designs will capture the energy of Italy and that wearers will feel like they, too, are travelling after having our wings clipped for so long during the pandemic. (Picture: Supplied)

Back to the present: you’ve just spent a month in Italy on an inspirational journey. What was the first thing you did when you touched down in the land of art, food and debt?

Well, we had to quarantine for five days when we arrived in Italy. I was with my husband [artist JP Jones], daughter [Luna, 3] and some old Camilla staff who are currently based in London.

I rushed to book a castle in the hills of Tuscany for us to quarantine at. It was like living in Downton Abbey – truly magical.

When we finished quarantining, we had a bowl of spaghetti vongole and a good bottle of wine. I hope the Italian collection will capture the energy of Italy in the prints and that people will feel like they’re having a glass of pinot on the Amalfi Coast. We’ve all had our wings clipped for so long; we need a bit of escapism.

After being separated from your husband for so long by the pandemic, what was it like being reunited with him in Wales, where you’re currently based?

When Covid-19 first hit, we were apart for six months before he made it back to Australia, then it was another couple of months when he went back to Wales [for work].

It was fine for JP and me because we’re adults, but Luna is so young and JP has missed a lot of those magical moments.

When he came back, it was beautiful to be reunited, but we had to get used to having masculine energy in the house again [laughs].

Since joining him over here, I’ve been trying to work from Wales, and I’ve taken over the top floor of the Duke Of Wellington pub as my office and showroom. I feel like Cameron Diaz in The Holiday! It’s hilarious.

Find more exclusives in this Sunday’s Stellar.

People are very invested in your health journey. You’ve revealed you had your ovaries removed this year. How are you at the moment?

I’m nearly four years into remission [after being diagnosed with breast cancer eight weeks after Luna was born in 2018]. I really didn’t want to get my ovaries out, but it’s a fight to save my life.

Now that I’ve got my Luna Bear, life is even more precious. It’s still hard – yesterday I saw a woman breastfeeding a little baby and I had tears in my eyes.

There are so many women who didn’t get the opportunity to have children because of breast cancer, so I feel very lucky and blessed. I’m dealing with all the hot flushes and foggy-headedness of menopause now, but it’s a small price to pay.

There was a great throwback gallery on your Instagram recently, reminiscing about Oprah, Goldie Hawn and Beyoncé wearing your designs. Who would you like to see in a Camilla look that you haven’t already?

Russell Brand! I think he’s the perfect male muse. But look, Lisa Cox was definitely a career highlight for me.