Twist in Melbourne's most mysterious socialite feud as Pip Edwards takes an unexpected side during glamorous Thredbo getaway

It's the rumoured Melbourne society feud that just won't go away.

For more than a year, whispers of a falling-out between two of the city's most prominent socialites have ricocheted through high society circles, with every event appearance, guest list omission and conspicuous absence only fuelling speculation.

Neither woman has publicly addressed reports of a rift, but society insiders have spent months dissecting signs that all may not be well between Rozalia Russian and Sarah Lucas.

The saga began last year, when rumours started circulating that Rozalia, whose husband is Bar Bambi owner and former mayoral candidate Nick Russian, was feuding with Sarah, who is married to restaurateur Chris Lucas, operator of some of Australia's most glamorous dining establishments, including Maison Bâtard.

A series of high-profile social gatherings only added weight to the speculation, with the pair seemingly keeping their distance while their once-overlapping social circles appeared increasingly divided.

Now the rift has taken an unexpected twist, courtesy of Sydney activewear queen Pip Edwards, who has, perhaps unwittingly, landed squarely in the middle of the drama.

Pip raised eyebrows on Wednesday after sharing a photo of Rozalia and referring to the former ballerina turned socialite one of her 'favourite people'.

The P.E. Nation founder was attending a Range Rover publicity event in Thredbo alongside Rozalia, when she posted an image of the socialite and a hairstylist riding in an SUV.

Pip captioned the photo: 'Found my favourite people.'

For Sarah, who did not appear to attend the Range Rover event, the apparent show of support would surely sting, at least if Melbourne's gossip mill is to be believed.

Sarah and Pip have maintained a close interstate friendship for years, regularly attending ritzy parties together and posing side-by-side on red carpets.

The streetwear mogul also attended Sarah's Saint Laurent-themed hen's party and multi-day wedding celebrations in Europe three years ago.

Pip's eyebrow-raising declaration that Rozalia is now her 'favourite' will only fuel whispers across Melbourne's social scene about Rozalia and Sarah no longer seeing eye to eye, and reignite speculation about the social proxy wars that could follow.

The rumours first gained traction in May 2025 when the two Melbourne 'It' girls appeared to keep their distance in a group photograph featuring several members of the city's social elite.

Neither woman has commented publicly on the speculation, but the evidence cited by society watchers has continued to grow.

The rumour first became public when the duo were seen keeping their distance in a class photo with Melbourne's social set - a subtle signal that all may not have been well.

Fuel was added to the fire in August last year when Rozalia failed to attend eveningwear designer Effie Kats' gender-reveal party, which was hosted at Maison Bâtard, one of Lucas' venues.

The plot thickened in December when society spies noticed Rozalia was absent from Effie's baby shower - an event attended by Sarah.

Notably, the gathering was held at Society, another Lucas-owned venue on Collins Street.

It was an intimate affair by high society standards, attended by guests including Jade Kisnorbo, Jessie Murphy and Chris Kontos.

While Nadia Bartel and Bec Judd were also absent, it was Rozalia's no-show that attracted the most attention, with some questioning whether it was connected to her rumoured rift with Sarah.

If there is indeed a falling-out between the pair, it would not be the first time Sarah has reportedly found herself at odds with another prominent socialite.

In 2023, she was said to have fallen out with Effie over how paparazzi discovered the location of her Venice wedding.

Months later, Sarah did not attend Effie's wedding at St Patrick's Cathedral.

Though if there was once tension between them, the pair have since reconciled.