Camilla

Opinion is mixed, and it usually comes down to which piece you choose. Camilla builds its reputation on artisanal bold prints and crystal embellishment, and longtime customers often say the quality and design justify the spend. Others feel certain pieces are pricey for what they are, so it pays to check the fabric content and detailing on the specific kaftan you're considering rather than assuming every style delivers the same value.

Camilla is positioned as a luxury label, known for its vivid prints and exquisite crystal embellishments, and many devoted shoppers say their pieces last and that the brand's craft shows. As with any print-led resort label, experiences can vary by garment, so reading the composition label and inspecting the finishing helps you know exactly what you're paying for. The brand's strength is unmistakably its distinctive, expressive design language.

Both are Australian labels that live in the resort-wear space, but their aesthetics diverge. Camilla, founded by Camilla Franks, built its name on bold, intricate prints and festive, vibrant designs, drawing on global and exotic sources. Zimmermann tends to read more muted and leans into Australian lifestyle and landscape, so the choice really comes down to whether you want maximalist colour and pattern or something quieter.

Camilla was founded by Australian designer Camilla Franks in 2004 at Bondi Beach. Inspired by travel and exotic design techniques, she grew the brand quickly, and within a year the luxury department store David Jones was stocking her collection. The label has since expanded well beyond Australia.

Camilla is best known for its luxury bright kaftan designs, the pieces that launched the brand and remain its signature. Over the years it has branched out from kaftans alone into accessories, homewares and ready-to-wear. The constant thread is its bold, intricate prints, which run through everything it makes.

Before fashion, Franks tried events planning, advertising and theatre acting, and she began creating costumes for her performances out of old saris and kimonos. Those garments drew praise and set her on the path to design. She has said she took her cues from her mother and grandmother, who always wore a kimono, kaftan or headscarf.

Camilla's bright kaftans have been worn by high-profile names including Oprah Winfrey and Beyoncé. That kind of visibility helped carry the brand from a Bondi Beach start to a global audience. Franks herself also guest-starred as herself in an episode of The White Lotus in 2022.

In January 2023, Tattarang took a minority stake in Camilla in a deal reported to be worth around forty million dollars. Founder Camilla Franks remains the creative force behind the label's prints and design identity. The brand is now sold around the world.

Franks draws heavily on travel and different exotic design techniques, which is why the prints feel layered and far-reaching rather than tied to one place. Her personal inspirations include designers and artists such as Vivienne Westwood and Frida Kahlo, alongside Australian designer Carla Zampatti. That mix of global influence and artistic reference gives the kaftans their maximalist, storytelling quality.

Camilla is now sold around the world, and from early on it was carried by luxury department stores such as David Jones in Australia. To be sure of authenticity, buy through the brand's own channels or established stockists, since the distinctive prints and crystal embellishments are exactly what counterfeiters target. Checking the print quality and finishing against the brand's known standard is your best safeguard.

While kaftans launched the brand, Camilla has expanded into accessories, homewares and ready-to-wear, all carrying its signature bold prints. This lets you build a coordinated look or bring the brand's aesthetic into your home, not just your wardrobe. The kaftan remains the heart of the range, but it's now one piece of a broader print-led world.