Melbourne’s high society is a lot like student politics: the lower the stakes, the pettier the gossip.

On Sunday, the city’s elite gathered at the chic French restaurant Maison Bâtard for a combined baby shower and gender reveal event hosted by celebrity designer Effie Kats.

Attendees included the familiar faces of Nadia Bartel, Jessie Roberts, Jade Kisnorbo, Chris Kontos, and unmistakably, socialite Sarah Lucas. Sarah’s husband, Chris Lucas, is the owner of the venue.

But one high-profile socialite failed to make an appearance.

And that fact alone was enough to set Melbourne’s rumour mill spinning.

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On Sunday, Melbourne’s social elite gathered at Maison Bâtard for a baby shower and gender reveal party thrown by Effie Kats (left, with Nadia Bartel).

Social media photos showed the famous names in attendance

Bec Judd’s absence was conspicuous, as she rarely skips notable events; her missing presence at her friend Effie’s celebration did not go unnoticed.

Instead of attending the gender reveal, Bec, who was present at Effie’s 2023 wedding to finance expert James Cerolini, traveled to her home city of Perth.

After checking into her luxury suite at Crown Perth on Sunday night, she shared videos on Instagram that suggested the trip was sponsored.

Still, the mother-of-four from Brighton did send Effie well-wishes on Instagram, which would seem to indicate there is no bad blood between them.

Even though her absence may have been harmless, Melbourne’s chattering classes are watching these gatherings like hawks for any hint of a rift after Sarah Lucas’ falling-out with Rozalia Russian recently became the talk of the town.

Rozalia, who also did not attend Effie’s party, runs in the same circles as Sarah and they share the same friends – but, as we noted in early June, they have not been pictured next to one another in any recent photos.

This fact was swiftly picked up on by our Melbourne society spies.

While there was no way to confirm exactly what went down between the two women, the fact they had unfollowed each other on Instagram seemingly said it all.

Socialite Sarah Lucas, known for wearing funereal black, instead opted for a cream blazer

Effie, who wore a one-shoulder cape-like dress, cradled her bump while greeting friends 

It’s not often Bec Judd (pictured) misses an event on the social calendar, so her ‘notable absence’ – as one source put it – from her friend Effie’s party did not go unnoticed 

Instead of going to the gender reveal, Bec – who had attended Effie’s 2023 wedding to finance broker James Cerolini – jetted off to her home town of Perth

Mother-to-be Effie Kats was surrounded by her closest friends at the gender reveal party 

And on Sunday, 34-year-old Effie revealed she was having a girl as she popped a balloon to release a pink shower of confetti 

The gossip we heard at the time was that Rozalia and Sarah weren’t seeing eye to eye, despite both being pillars of the same elite friendship group.

Indeed, a rare photo of all the key members of the Victorian capital’s in-crowd showed the two women positioned at opposite ends, as if deliberately avoiding each other. 

Rozalia posed alongside Effie, hair and makeup artist Jade Kisnorbo, WAG-turned-fashion designer Nadia Bartel and celebrity stylist Lana Wilkinson, while Sarah, dressed in her usual all black, posed at the other end.

For the uninitiated, ex-ballerina Rozalia is one of Australia’s most in-demand fashion influencers and the wife of high-profile nightclub owner, former Temptation Island contestant and one-time candidate for Lord Mayor of Melbourne Nick Russian.

Sarah needs no introduction.

Previously married to Steven Lew, the son of billionaire retail magnate Solomon Lew, she wed her second husband, hospitality titan Chris Lucas, in Venice in 2023 in the same ballroom where George and Amal Clooney said ‘I do’.

Her teenage daughter Bella Lew is considered a rising star of high society.

In addition to marrying into money, Sarah hails from wealthy Toorak stock – her parents listed their mansion in the ritzy suburb for $8million in 2017. Following her 2011 divorce from Steven, the Lew family reached a settlement with Sarah that was never disclosed but long rumoured to have been an extraordinary windfall.

Melbourne’s chattering classes are watching these gatherings like hawks for any hint of a rift after Sarah Lucas’ (right) falling-out with Rozalia Russian (left) became the talk of the town 

Rozalia and Sarah seemed to be avoiding one each other at the launch of Melbourne-based designer Effie Kats’ new collection in Sydney in May. (Pictured from left: Rozalia Russian, Jade Kisnorbo, Effie Kats, Nadia Bartel, Lana Wilkinson and Sarah Lucas)

It comes after fashion queen Effie announced earlier this month that she and husband James were expecting their first child together.

‘Have kept this little one a secret for a while now. Feeling beyond excited for our next chapter,’ Effie wrote on Instagram.

And on Sunday, the 34-year-old revealed she was having a girl as she popped a balloon to release a pink shower of confetti.

Effie is a popular Melbourne designer who dresses for many A-Listers, including Bec, Nadia, Carrie Bickmore and Kelly Rowland.

The couple’s summer wedding at St Patrick’s Cathedral was one of the biggest society events of 2023.

The newlyweds later held an opulent reception at the State Library of Victoria. 

Effie stunned in an elaborate, semi-sheer lace gown by Zuhair Murad, a design which required several trips to Paris for fittings.

The 260-strong guest list was a Who’s Who of Melbourne high society, with the likes of Bec and Nadia being joined by local luminaries such as Jessie Murphy, the wife of former Carlton skipper Marc, and celebrated fashion stylist Lana Wilkinson.