Campbell said she’d boycott the Costume Institute gala at the Met last night not because rival mannequin Kate Moss was co-chairing but because her dear friend, designer Azzedine Alaia, wasn’t invited. A rep of the diva said, “Naomi, having supported this gala event for many years, planned to attend this year and even purchased a table. However, as she does not wish to be disloyal to Alaia . . .” But a spy said, “Please. She only decided not to go after Karl Lagerfeld decided against going.” We also hear that Campbell had her own “Supermodel” party Sunday night at her Time Warner Center apartment and that Vogue’s Hamish Bowles showed up “begging her to come to the Met.” Campbell’s rep didn’t comment, and a Vogue rep didn’t return calls. Meanwhile, Linda Evangelista told us, “I’m not able to attend. I will be there in spirit.”
(source)
Naomi Campbell’s air of superiority
Americans give their celebs a lot of leeway, but woe to the British supermodel who cuts ahead of them in line.
People waiting in a U.S. Customs queue at Kennedy Airport on Tuesday morning booed Naomi Campbell when she was escorted to a passport-screening officer ahead of 200 or so people, according to a witness.
“An older lady was about to have her passport checked, but she was told to wait so Naomi could go first,” says our source, who traveled in first class with Campbell aboard an American Airlines flight from London. “It p- off a lot of people.”
Campbell’s lawyer, Marty Singer, argues: “She was not treated any differently than any other high-profile individual. American Airlines offered to escort her. She did not ask for it. It’s done for security reasons, so high-profile passengers aren’t besieged by people.”
Some may wonder why an orderly line watched by gun-toting federal agents would pose more danger than a celebrity would find on a city street.
American Airlines spokesman Tim Smith declined to say how the airline decides who is a celebrity.
American provides an express line to all first-class passengers through British immigration at Heathrow. But sources at Kennedy say the federal government has resisted giving passengers who pay more similar upper-crust treatment.
U.S. Customs spokeswoman Janet Rapaport said only foreign dignitaries or sick people are usually allowed to cut, though the agency has launched a Global Entry program to speed through “passengers who pass certain requirements.”
Passengers may have barked at Campbell because of her airport history. In June, she was fined 2,300 pounds and given 200 hours of community service after being charged with assaulting a British police officer at Heathrow. British Airways banned her from flying globally.
In spite of all that, her lawyer insisted, “She’s not a prima donna. She’s a good passenger. She travels a lot, and American appreciates good customers.”
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Naomi Campbell has finally hit it big with her Russian billionaire, Vladimir Doronin
The two were just in her favorite country, Brazil, where he dropped a cool $18.5 million on a penthouse apartment for Campbell in Jardins, the Upper East Side of Sao Paolo, after Campbell told him how much she loved the country and “wanted to settle down there.” Glamurama.com says the place was a “gift” to the supermodel and the couple will use it as their home in Brazil. Then they traveled to Bahia, where they stayed in a $50,000-a-day beach house. Campbell, who’s trying to improve her rage-plagued image, is also focusing on being photographed at charitable events and launching a clothing line through 284, the new label from Daslu. “It’s for strong women. I hope everybody will like it,” she told a local Brazilian paper.
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She’s notorious for her fiery temper, but yesterday Naomi Campbell put her tender side on show during a romantic cruise with billionaire Russian Vladislav Doronin.
The supermodel, dressed in a black string bikini, showered her beau with kisses and hugs as they soaked up the sun in St Tropez aboard his luxury yacht, Lady In Blue.
The pair’s relationship has become increasingly serious after Naomi introduced Doronin to 12 of her most trusted friends at a dinner party in the South of France last month.
With an estimated £1.5billion fortune, the 46-year-old a property tycoon has a penchant for high-living and beautiful women that has earned him the nickname of Moscow’s Donald Trump.
His property projects include Moscow City, a spectacular Canary Wharf-style development that is helping transform the once-poor city into a glamorous destination.
Naomi, 38, met him at the Cannes Film Festival in May, shortly after the outburst on a British Airways flight that led to her arrest, and they have been inseparable ever since.
One of Naomi’s guests, Brazilian writer Bruno Astuto, said: ‘She said it was love at first sight and he is completely in love with her. Watching them look deeply into each other’s eyes, it was obvious that this is a very serious affair.
‘He thinks she is a goddess and Naomi believes she finally has found the right man. She is now planning a really big party for Vlad, where we hope they will announce their engagement.’
The secretive oligarch – previously wrongly identified as Brazilian Marcus Elias – attended the recent London dinner for Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday, where Naomi was also a guest.
Naomi’s tempestuous love life has also included a romance with motor-racing tycoon Flavio Briatore and one engagement, to U2 bassist Adam Clayton.
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PETA to Naomi Campbell: “You would look lovely in a synthetic hairpiece”
Even though I never had the kind of looks that could stop traffic—unless the traffic was really slow to begin with—now that I’m *mumblety-mumble* years old, I must admit to having seen the effects of aging on my appearance. So I can only imagine what it must be like for people who are still youngish whose beauty has been the basis for their career.
It must be hard to reach that point in your life where whenever your name hits the media, it’s preceded by the words “former supermodel.” You might become upset enough to freak out on a plane or throw a phone at your maid. Why, it’s enough to make you want to pull your hair out.
Fortunately for former supermodel (see, I told you) Naomi Campbell, her hair seems to be falling out all on its own. We recognized an opportunity for some good old-fashioned consciousness-raising. Here’s PETA Europe’s note to Ms. Campbell:
Dear Ms Campbell,
Please don’t get angry and throw something, but I hear that you are going bald. If this is true, then you understand what it’s like to lose your hair. Of course, for animals raised and killed for their fur, the problem isn’t just that their looks suffer (have you seen a skinned fox?! Check out FurisDead.com for a quick peek) but that the skin is ripped off their bodies – sometimes while they are still conscious.
If you are balding, please seize this opportunity to make up for promoting cruelty to animals in the fur trade by promoting faux fur and natural fibres. You would look lovely in a synthetic hairpiece and/or a pretty cotton, elegant satin, practical linen or other hat made without harming a living soul. PETA would be pleased to provide you with examples of all of the above.
Very truly yours,
Ingrid E Newkirk
(source)
Nelson Mandela intervened personally to ensure Naomi Campbell does not appear on stage at his 90th birthday concert.
He told organisers to take her off the line-up for Friday’s Hyde Park charity event.
The former South African leader, who met the Queen at Buckingham Palace today, made his decision after Campbell, 38, was fined and sentenced to 200 hours’ community service last week for assaulting two police officers on a BA flight at Heathrow in April.
A source close to the event said: ‘The man himself intervened and she was pulled off the list. He was disappointed with her recent arrest – particularly as she was wearing a 46664 baseball cap at the time.’
This was Mr Mandela’s prison number-during his 27-year sentence and now promotes his AIDS awareness campaign.
The source added: ‘Naomi was slated to introduce some of the acts on stage as she has done with 46664 concerts in the past, but she has been informed that this time she can only sit in the grandstand.’
The model, who calls Mr Mandela her ‘honorary grandfather’, has been deeply involved with his charity.
After she was arrested in 2006 for throwing a mobile phone at her housekeeper, the Streatham-born model reportedly visited the anti-apartheid hero to seek his advice on her anger management problems.
Sources say this is why her ‘air rage’ – because one of her bags had been lost at Terminal 5 – would have saddened him even more.
Friday’s show, hosted by Will Smith, will feature performances by Amy Winehouse, Queen with Paul Rodgers, Annie Lennox, Leona Lewis, Sugababes, Razorlight and Simple Minds.
Special guests set to appear include Gordon Brown, Lewis Hamilton, Prince William and Prince Harry, and Bill and Hillary Clinton.
The source added: ‘It was only in the last few weeks that things were being finalised among the production guys about who is doing what.
‘Naomi was on the list to play quite an integral role, such as introducing acts on stage.
‘But all plans were scrapped when pictures emerged of her being arrested wearing the baseball cap with the Mandela number on it. She will be allowed to sit in the grandstand and watch the performances, but that is as far as it goes.’
Campbell and Mr Mandela, who will be 90 next month, have been close for more than 10 years, both through the charity and personally.
The source added: ‘Naomi and Mandela share a bond, but her recent arrest really disappointed him.
‘The organisers felt that this type of negative publicity goes against everything Mandela stands for and didn’t want her arrest to be associated with the charity concert.
‘Everyone hopes this may teach her a lesson as the concert means so much to her.’
(source)
Africa Rising Festival
Nduka Obaigbena, Naomi Campbell and Ozwald Boateng
She is rumoured to be a bit of a handful. But on this occasion, Naomi Campbell was more like a full armload of trouble.
The supermodel almost tumbled to the ground after a night out with friends in Italy on Wednesday.
Luckily, there was a man on hand to catch her. But the fellow – who was not quite as tall as the statuesque Miss Campbell – appeared to be struggling with his burden.
At one point, he seemed about to drop the giggling bundle of flailing limbs and flying hair.
The London-born model and her party had arrived on the island of Capri by boat earlier that day, and entered a nightclub at 1am.
They eventually left in high spirits at 3am and shortly afterwards Miss Campbell had her little fall. Once she had regained her composure, the group headed off into the night, leaving behind some amused onlookers.
‘We heard a little shriek and turned around,’ said one. ‘She was close to having a very embarrassing moment indeed, but managed to laugh it off though.’ But a spokesman for Miss Campbell denied that she fell. ‘Naomi was just joking around with friends,’ the spokesman said. ‘She was pretending to fall to see who would catch her.’
The model, who recently turned 38, was pictured in Cannes last month crying at her birthday party. And two weeks ago she was charged over an alleged air rage incident at Heathrow airport last month.
In 1993, Miss Campbell famously fell on the catwalk while modelling a pair of 10in Vivienne Westwood platform shoes. She collapsed into a fit of giggles on that occasion too.
(source)
