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Byline: NICKY HASLAM
Some parties have an afterlife.
They're the ones we're still talking about. Maybe it was the guests,
or the cocktails, or the music- Nicky Haslam nominates the parties
he wishes had never ended
The Prince's party
Fashion Rocks Wednesday 15 October, 8pm *PIX
HERE*
Why? Diamonds and music - rocks and roll.
Who? Take a deep breath. Blue, Lily Safra, Camilla Parker Bowles
and Prince Charles, Jay Kay and a few Rothschilds.
How? The Royal Albert Hall was the swellegant venue for this hybrid
catwalk show and rock concert (the brainchild of Conde Nast's Nicholas
Coleridge) in aid of the Prince's Trust. Millions of pounds' worth
of diamonds were paraded on lovely necks as 19 designers showed
their 'wears' and the likes of Beyonce, Robbie Williams and Bryan
Ferry performed. The atmosphere was feverish as everyone craned
to see what everyone else was wearing, 6,000 bottles of mini Moet
were drunk, the people from Belvedere Vodka mixed a naughty-but-nice
Fashion Rocks cocktail with Parfait Amour liqueur and you could
smoke.
Belle of the ball Milla Jovovich in a raspberry Prada prom dress.
The garden party
The Serpentine Gallery Summer Party Wednesday 2 July, 7.30pm
Why? Where else could you witness Salman Rushdie and Padma Lakshmi
dirty dancing?
Who? Sir Terence and Lady Conran, Sharleen Spiteri, Sienna Miller,
Liberty Ross, Lord and Lady Rogers.
How? Ever since Princess Diana turned up on the gallery steps in
that Christina Stambolian dress as Prince Charles was admitting
adultery on TV, the Serpentine's summer party has been the place
to show off. The temporary Oscar Niemeyer pavilion provided the
perfect sweeping entrance and the tented dancefloor allowed everyone
to let their hair down. Which they certainly did - not surprising
after 6,000 cocktails from Cosmopolitans to caipirinhas. From future
Duke, Arthur Mornington, gloriously dishevelled in jeans, to socialite
Tasha de Vasconcelos in full-length Christian Dior, anything went
- as long as you were dancing.
Belle of the ball Gallery director Julia Peyton-Jones in Missoni.
The arty party
The opening of Tim Taylor's Gallery Monday 19 May, 7pm
Why? Royalty and modern art - how could it fail?
Who? Hugh Grant, Bryan Ferry, Sabrina Guinness, Princess Rosario
of Bulgaria, Andrea Dellal.
How? From the moment we walked into Tim's Dering Street gallery
we all felt at home. Like the Taylors themselves, the space manages
to be both luxurious and relaxed. I found myself happily wandering
upstairs, downstairs and in the office - no cordoned-off or locked
areas for this lot. Eats from The Ivy kept stomachs from rumbling
- mini Cumberland sausages with mustard, washed down with Timothy
Taylor beer - Madonna's favourite tipple no less. As the place filled
to breaking point, DJ Kevin O'Leary pumped up the sound until everyone
was dancing.
Beau of the ball Julian Metcalfe - sexiest (and richest) sandwich-maker
in London.
The charity party
Save the Children fundraiser at Nobu Wednesday 12 March, 7.30pm
*PIX
HERE*
Why? Host Robert De Niro didn't show, and no one even noticed.
Who? Bin Laden's niece, Waffa, Bryan from Westlife, Phil Collins,
Elisabeth Murdoch amd Matthew Freud.
How? Any excuse to go to Nobu and nibble. Plus, as it was for charity,
well, wild horses couldn't have kept me, nor most of London's great
and good, away. It was a Rolling Stone gathering - Jerry Hall (in
the shortest skirt I have ever seen), Bill and Suzanne Wyman and
Leah Wood all lounged together, discussing times old and new. Free-flowing
champagne encouraged guests to raise [pounds sterling]200,000 at
the auction. And after the slap-up canapes, everyone gave themselves
a slap on the back and snuck down to the Met Bar for a dance.
Belle of the ball Mrs Philippe Starck looking very at home within
the interior designed by her husband and wearing a vintage dress.
The fashion party
The Giorgio Armani Retrospective at the Royal Academy Tuesday 14
October, 7pm
Why? 200 of Mr Armani's nearest and dearest treading the black,
not red, carpet.
Who? The Duchess of York, Lady Helen Taylor, Saffron Burrows, Donna
Karan, Donatella Versace, Boris Becker.
How? With everyone in Armani, the Royal Academy looked like the
Ascot scene in My Fair Lady, all gloriously clad in black and white.
The afterparty was held at Lord Foster's new More London Building
- it's next to David Blaine's box so we all had a peek at him swinging.
The party air was scented with Dyptique candles, the floor strewn
with neon blue and pink cushions, and Giorgio himself got down on
the mirrored dancefloor to a performance by Ms Dynamite. Need I
say more?
Belle of the ball Rosamund Pike in, you've guessed it-
The luvvie party
Kevin Spacey's gala at The Old Vic Wednesday 5 February, 7pm
Why? When Kevin calls, everyone jumps.
Who? Sting and Trudie, Stephen Daldry, Angus Deayton and Lise Mayer.
How? The new establishment was out in force for Kevin Spacey's inauguration
as artistic director of The Old Vic and there was huge applause
when the man himself performed 'Someone Saved My Life Tonight'.
The show was well and truly stolen by Courtney Love who appeared
on stage dressed as Donald Duck, sang 'The Bitch is Back', then
rampaged through the party with her thong on display. No, really.
Already in trouble after her air-rage arrest, she promptly introduced
herself to Virgin boss Richard Branson, who then offered her four
first-class flights. Sir Elton John and Joan Collins spent the evening
locked in conversation - clearly they were discussing wigs.
Belle of the ball Chelsea Clinton with her curls back.
The literary party
The launch of Simon Sebag Montefiore's 'Stalin' Tuesday 8 July,
6.30pm
Why? Stalin and Caplin - the perfect icebreaker.
Who? Lady Wyatt and Petronella, Mark Durden-Smith, Tara Palmer-Tomkinson,
Victoria Aitken.
How? Heavyweight literary parties are always tinged with a sublime
sense of the ridiculous and Simon's book launch at the English Speaking
Union was no exception. Two Russian singers sang Stalin's favourite
ditty - a soft, quiet hymn. Very surreal. Wendy Leigh regaled William
Shawcross and me with tales from her book chronicling a fictional
correspondence between Jackie Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe. Then,
as if things couldn't get any stranger, the Blair's bete noire,
Carole Caplin, gatecrashed the party. The only thing to do? Batten
down the hatches and drink more red wine.
Belle of the ball A glowing Miss Caplin making an entrance in Alexander
McQueen.
The bling party
Jade Jagger's party at Garrard Sunday 21 September, 9pm *PIX
HERE*
Why? She goes to enough parties to get her own absolutely right.
Who? Claudia Schiffer, Isabella Blow, the Tata-Naka twins, Stella
Schnabel.
How? Last year she sent us to the Tower of London, this year Fashion
Week kicked off in genteel Albemarle Street. Rappers, Hollywood
stars and style gurus all huddled around Jade's baubles to catch
a glimpse of performance artist Dita Von Teese. Partner of fright
rocker Marilyn Manson, Dita's trick was to come out of a giant champagne
glass wearing nothing but Garrard jewellery. Now that's a hell of
a way to show off your talent. Best of all were the specially designed
angel-wing silver necklaces which we are all still wearing to say
'We were there'.
Belle of the ball Jade, natch, in Versace, Christian Louboutin shoes,
a Cozmo Jenks hairpiece and a lot of Garrard bling.
The vintage party
The Ossie Clark mini retrospective at the V&A Monday 14 July, 6.45pm
Why? Fashion designer Ossie Clark lit up the Seventies - it was
a fitting tribute.
Who? Sadie Frost, Bella Freud, Ladies Rebecca and Louisa Macmillan,
Zandra Rhodes.
How? From the moment Marianne Faithfull opened the exhibition, it
was like looking back in happiness. Ossie may have died seven years
ago but his legacy lives on as his friends and fans flocked to South
Kensington, wearing their favourite Ossies. The exhibition was in
consultation with Ossie's ex-wife Celia Birtwell, whose prints inspired
his art - David Hockney looked particularly fetching in a Celia-print
scarf. The emotion of all of us gathered in one place was too much
for Chris Jagger - Mick's brother - a good friend of Ossie's, who
promptly burst into tears. And they served champagne - practically
unheard of for the V&A.
Belle of the ball Kate Moss, who looked elegant in a white Ossie
jacket.
The karaoke party
An Evening at Sanderson in aid of Sargent Cancer Care for Children
Tuesday 3 June, 7.30pm *PIX
HERE*
Why? I am still unpacking the goodie bag.
Who? Laura Bailey, Nick Rhodes, Danny Goffey, Jessica Morris,
David Furnish.
How? It was a gloriously drunken affair. Pommery Summertime champagne
cocktails, Belvedere Vodka and Alain Ducasse canapes for the wise.
We all spilled out into Sanderson's garden for the karaoke and it
felt like we were at a barbecue in the country, not spitting distance
from Soho. Kate Reardon volunteered to flash if Duran Duran's Nick
Rhodes sang 'Rio'. Sadly he declined, but Will & Grace's Eric
McCormack was on hand to save the day with an amazing rendition
of 'You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling' that had Sharleen Spiteri on
her feet.
Beau of the ball A deliciously tipsy Hugh Grant in a crisp white
shirt.
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