Olivia's Vintage Year
Ten years ago Olivia Newton-John endured the worst year of her life. Within days of losing her treasured father Professor Brin she was diagnosed with breast cancer, then she suffered the collapse of the much-loved Koala Blue business she’d built with close friend Pat Farrar. Not long afterwards, her 10 year marriage to actor Matt Lattanzi ended. Her world was crumbling around her, and she reveals that her life at that time just couldn’t get any worse,
But today, contentedly sipping on a glass of shiraz at the picturesque Pipers Creek Vineyard in the Macedon Ranges of Victoria, Olivia is positively luminous and is already celebrating the next 10 years by taking on one of her most ambitious projects yet.
Olivia, 53, has teamed up with Pat again to resurrect the Koala Blue label that gave them success and heartbreak. The first venture is the release of their own Australian wine range this week, to be sold locally and internationally.
“Ten years ago was the worst time of my life-it was terrible because everything happened at once.”
“But now my health is great, Matt and his wife Cindy live around the corner in LA and we get along really well. They share our lives and we’re good friends, and they’re very involved in Chloe’s life.”
“Koala Blue is resurfacing and I’m extremely happy with my partner Patrick. So I feel this is a new era for me, a new beginning, and the wine launch is symbolic of that new start The Koala Blue wine range already has projected sales of 400,000 cases overseas.”
But despite their excitement at the project they affectionately call their “baby”, the women concede there were some reservations about bringing back the label that very publicly forced them into bankruptcy in 1992.
“We had a lot of trouble when the business collapsed, and that was a terrible time for both of us”, Olivia says candidly.
“It was a real shame but there were many different factors as to why Koala Blue failed, and it wasn’t anyone’s fault. It’s really nice to be able to start again.”
“And we’ve learnt a lot since then Koala Blue was very much a baby for us back then, but that baby has now come back as a grown up.”
“We’re smarter now and much more interested in the business side of things, and we’re very hopeful we will enjoy new success with Koala Blue.”
The idea to resurrect the label came when Olivia was approached by Sean Neylon from Australia’s Snowdon Wines it was his suggestion to produce a truly local wine range under the Koala Blue name.
I called Pat and said: “What do you think about starting Koala Blue again?” Olivia explains.
“We said we’d love to do it but at that time we didn’t even own the name it was sold during the bankruptcy process. But that didn’t stop Sean. He found out who had the name, bought it back, and it all began from there.”
During the decadent 1980s Koala Blue was one of the most famous stores on LA’s trendy Melrose Avenue.
Olivia and Pat - who met as teenagers in Australia and went to London to perform together in the mid-1960s - when the toast of Hollywood with the Aussie boutique that took America by storm.
Business boomed. At one stage they had 60 successful stores worldwide but then before their eyes it all collapsed, forcing Pat and Olivia to file for bankruptcy. They were heartbroken.
“We put a lot into Koala Blue when we opened the business,” says Pat, one of Olivia’s closest friends for 40 years.
“We created a name and built it up. We might not have done a great job in a pure business sense, but we think we put together a great concept. And now it’s really exciting to think there could be new life in the business.”
But just 18 months ago, as she dazzled the world performing at the Sydney Olympics opening ceremony, Olivia was seriously contemplating retirement.
With a stellar career to her credit she felt there was little more she could achieve. But today, with retirement firmly off the agenda, Olivia - with Pat still by her side is taking one of the biggest risks of her life.
“I was thinking of retiring - but it won’t be just yet. Every time I think about it something else crops up that inspires me to keep going,” she smiles.
And in case we can’t get enough of Olivia, her 16-year-old daughter Chloe is quickly proving that she’s as talented and sweet as her famous mam.
She has already signed on for the musical Hair in Melbourne later this year, and is hoping to audition for the lead role in Gidget, which will play in London’s famous West End.
Gidget was written by Francis Ford Coppola and Pat’s husband John Farrar, who wrote and produced many of Olivia’s hits, including some songs from Grease. John has also written a stage version of Xanadu which will play on Broadway and there’s no doubt Chloe would perfectly fill the rollerskates her mum made famous.
“John and Pat’s son plays in a band too - it’s the second generation coming through,” Olivia says. “But I don’t have apprehensions about Chloe’s career-I’m here to watch, and there’s no doubt she’ll have her falls, but that’s all part of it.”
“Chloe is the perfect age for the lead in Gidget, and my dream for her has always been that she would do this role with John and sing his songs. I can imagine her in my Xanadu role too.”
Clearly Chloe is the apple of her mother’s eye, and it’s easy to see why.
Both Olivia and Put agree that their proudest achievements have been raising their children - and Olivia is still filled with a little sadness that she couldn’t extend her family.
“I was quickly running out of time when I was pregnant with Chloe. But I was so excited about it and also really nervous about being a mum. I can remember saying to Pat one day: Can I love my baby as much as I love my dogs?” Olivia laughs.
“But as soon as she was born, well, that was it, it was so special suddenly. I knew this extraordinary love for her.”
“Matt and I wanted to have more after Chloe, and we tried, but I miscarried unfortunately and I guess my time was up after that. It wasn’t meant to be.”
“Chloe’s the lucky one,” Olivia says. The proud mother enthuses about her daughter’s beauty, talent and drive.
“She really wants to be a success,” she grins. “She started asking me to get her an agent when she was 13, and I said that when she’d nagged me so much that I couldn’t stand it anymore I would. And she did!”
With Chloe’s career taking off in Australia. Olivia plans to divide her time between here and Los Angeles. where she has long been based.
But she says the events of September 11 have prompted her to think seriously about a permanent return to Australia.
“It had an impact. It was a very frightening time and it made me think about spending more time here because it’s safe. It was a very vulnerable time. We were literally waiting for the next bomb to drop or plane to crash, and it definitely prompted the decision to come back home part-time.”
“But I can see myself being back in Australia permanently further down the line. Right now my life will be a bit back and forth with Chloe. It really depends on where her career takes her and how long she wants her mam tagging along. For now I’m happy to say she wants me around!”
But with long term partner Patrick McDermon and close friends including Pat based in LA, Olivia’s heart strings are tors between two countries.
And while she is very happy with Patrick and doesn’t rule out marrying again, Olivia says wedding bells are not part of her immediate future plans.
“It’s not out of the realm of possibility. but it’s a big thing to promise someone you’ll be with them forever, and I take that promise very seriously. It didn’t work out once so it’s a big consideration to think about it again.”
“Patrick and I are very happy as it is, and I really think the main purpose of marriage is to have children and to give them security.”
She doesn’t have much time for a wedding either. She’s been rebuilding her home on the NSW north coast, is considering touring next year and is now writing a book about her life. But her most immediate priority is making sure the world knows that she and Pat are back in business and here to stay.
There are many wine-associated products we’re considering too - the label lends itself so many things and we have lots of ideas.
“It’s been been really rewarding seeing the wine come to fruition. And I just love being in the winery. I love being in the country-the whole atmosphere is so peaceful,” Olivia says.
“I picture myself in retirement sitting on a porch overlooking a vineyard,” Pat adds.
“Yes, me too”, Olivia smiles. “And I think we’re making that happen now.”
By Sue Smethurst. Pictures: James Calderaro