End of Summer Ball: London's Farewell to Summer

Never mind that there was no summer in Britain this year. London's smart set still showed up to celebrate the End of Summer Ball, hosted by Vince Power at Berkeley Square.

Scenesters such as Kimberley Stewart, designer John Rocha, Tim Jefferies and Princess Beatrice – who was escorted by her beau, Dave Clark – came out for the soiree, which supports the work of the Prince’s Trust charity. ASW members present included Claudia Winkleman, Alexia Inge and Daisy Bates. The all-star chef team of Mark Hix, Tom Aikens, Richard Corrigan and Bryn Williams provided a sumptuous spread while the mixologists from Nobu Berkeley kept the crowd suitably lubricated with rose petal martinis and other concoctions. But the real treat of the evening came when former Spandau Ballet frontman Tony Hadley took to the stage. The trip back to the 1980s provided enough of a cue for many of the guests to claim table tops as their personal dance podiums.

— Jessica Ramakrishnan

London Fashion Week S/S 08

Saying that London has a little Fashion Week is like saying Britain is a small country: What it lacks in actual size, it makes up for in power. How else can you explain the appearance of Kate Moss, the return of Matthew Williamson, and the recurring front row seat of Anna Wintour, all in five days?

Our must-discuss moments of the week are below…

The Front Row at Allegra Hicks
Some catwalks in New York are billed as "socialite shows," but Allegra's front row lineup beat them all. India Hicks, Rufus Abermarle and his wife Sally, Lulu Guinness and her daughter Madeleine, and Sophie Fiennes all took their place out front, as breezy chiffon gowns based on Botticelli paintings floated by. Don't think they won't appear in Tatler next year!

Luella Bartley's Homecoming Dance
It's only fitting that London's party dress queen gets a big bash after her fashion show, especially if it's her first UK runway in years. Luella's late-night bash at Claridge's didn't disappoint, with Poppy Delevigne, Peaches Geldof, Erin O'Conner, and Kelly Osbourne swinging into the hotel for a dance.

Christopher Kane's Denim Corset
How do you follow up pleated leather dresses? With denim corsets and tailored snake-print chiffon, of course. That was the menu for Christopher Kane's latest collection, but even more impressive – a big chunk of the clothes had been made just days before the show, after pieces from Kane's studio were stolen in a robbery!

Prince at Matthew Williamson
The lights dimmed, and suddenly a spotlight: We all saw Prince, smack in the middle of the front row, strutting from the audience up to the runway. A microphone appeared, backup singers emerged, and voila: a secret performance of "Chelsea Girl" was taking place, and only the London fashion pack got to see. Considering the show was held at 11 am, it was the wakeup call everyone needed – including the models, who mouthed Prince lyrics during the show!

Gareth Pugh's Balloon Pop
Editors were scared out of their seats on Sunday night, as fashion trickster Gareth Pugh began his show with a bang – literally. He popped a giant balloon filled with glitter onstage, causing everyone to jump before settling in for a blackly beautiful collection of sheath dresses and silver capes. There were still the usual theatrics – a mink stole sewn to look like dead mice, giant tribal headdresses – but unlike past Pugh performances, you could actually wear things from this collection.

The ISSA Acrobat
After a series of pretty capes and caftans, ISSA's real spectacle began on the catwalk: an acrobat walked onto the runway wearing the label's trademark butterfly print, and quickly swung and twirled herself into a trapeze act. The audience gasped, but we weren't surprised – what's London Fashion Week without some over-the-top magic?

— Faran Krentcil

Hay's Galleria Oyster and Seafood Festival

What’s the soiree all about?
September marks the start of the native oyster season in the British Isles. It’s as good a reason as any for a celebration. The Hay’s Galleria Oyster and Seafood Festival, now in its seventeenth year, offers the perfect opportunity to feast on these sexy mollusks and their finned friends.

Why go?
Not that you need a reminder but oysters are the food of love. Last year, visitors polished off 13,000 oysters from one stall alone. Also on the menus of the festival’s 25 stalls is a range of fish and shellfish. Fresh langoustines, lobsters and crabs will be cooked while you wait or you can take some home to cook yourself. Look out for the paella, which is always a huge hit.

What about refreshments?
There’ll be plenty to wash down the oysters. Try champagne or Guinness. Alternatively, grab a glass of wine or Pimm’s.

Is it just about the seafood?
Yes, but once you’ve had your fill, you can learn more about what you’ve just consumed. Experts from the National Federation of Fishmongers will be on hand to answer all your questions. The Federation’s stall will also feature videos and quirky competitions such as last year’s fish filleting challenge.

If you’d rather not get your hands dirty, check out the cooking demos. Miles Kirby, the head chef at The Providores, the Marylebone restaurant that’s a brunch favorite of many a London-based ASW member, will share his cooking techniques with visitors. There’ll also be a steel band, street performers and face painting to keep the tykes happy.

Who goes?
Everyone from local city workers to tourists. Expect a good turn-out of ASW foodies.

What to wear?
It’s a casual affair but it’s crucial to come with an empty stomach.

The details
The festival runs from September 7-9 at the Hay’s Galleria, which is located at London Bridge, Tooley Street, London, SE1. Stalls are busiest on Saturday and Sunday so if you’d rather graze at a leisurely pace, head over on Friday. Admission is free. For more information and updates, please see: www.haysgalleria.co.uk

Want more?
Still craving more? Then head across the Irish Sea to the Galway International Oyster Festival, which takes place September 27-30. See www.galwayoysterfest.com for details.

— Staff

Secret Garden Party 2007

England is whipped into a festival frenzy every summer and while most of us have heard of the larger events such as Glastonbury, there is a growing following for the smaller, ‘boutique’ festivals. One of the newer and fastest growing in reputation, if not in size, is the Secret Garden Party that took place on the weekend of July 26-29 this year, near Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire.

Set up in 2004 by Freddie Fellowes, the Secret Garden Party has possibly the most romantic setting of any of the smaller festivals, as the site is a natural amphitheater with gentle slopes surrounding a lake. Although music plays on about six different stages almost constantly, it seems almost an incidental soundtrack to the bigger picture of the party, the aim of which seems to be to totally embrace your inner child. Clowns, pirates, bunnies, fairies and all manner of other characters flit about the various activities on offer, such as suicide sports (one of these activities centers around careering down hills on a tiny BMX towards a wall of large barrels) and the kissing workshop. Also on offer for those with a certain nostalgie de la boue, there is mud wrestling in a specially dug out pit. In the lake, rowboats float past carrying reclining souls, bleary-eyed from the night before but soaking up the sun and listening to the sounds of the great stage across the water.

Also dotted around the site are various interactive art installations that bring to mind the spirit of Burning Man. These include a large floating ‘hand’ on the lake that is set alight on Saturday night and a ‘furry cave’ for those who want to go all the way back to a womb-like state. For the gourmands, numerous food stands sell delicious organic fare from all corners of the world and all-night chai stalls offer comfort and warm tea to exhausted revelers.

That’s not to say that the Secret Garden Party isn’t about music. On the contrary, the organizers are champions of new music and through the years they have consistently picked acts that have gone onto big things, as well as showcasing more established cult bands. This year this was exemplified by their choices of the classic new romantic band Echo and the Bunnymen, who played on Friday night, followed by acid house country band Alabama 3 later on the Great Stage. Current electro and new rave heroes, New Young Pony Club, played during Saturday’s deluge. But possibly the highlight of that day was the family outfit of Kitty, Daisy and Lewis, who took over the late afternoon with their energetic rockabilly. Sunday played host to the legendary Prince Buster and this summer’s chart sensation, Kate Nash.

Thankfully (considering the sodden summer that we’ve had) the weekend was mostly bathed in sunshine; however, Saturday night’s downpour did cause the site to become a mud bath by Sunday morning. Any experienced festival attendee, though, would have known to pack a pair of Wellington boots and carry on dancing.

The Secret Garden Party happens every July.

www.secretgardenparty.com

— Rebecca Guinness

Cartier Polo at Windsor

Diane Kruger and Joshua Jackson

After weeks of rain the sun finally shone down upon the Guards Polo Club in Windsor for the annual Cartier International Day. And as usual, a host of celebrities and socialites turned out to cheer on the players.

Early in the day there were celebrations as the Prince of Wales’ team took the Golden Jubilee Trophy. Following this victory the crowds – including Jemima Kahn, Alexandra Spencer-Churchill, Sean Bean and Jamie Dornan – filtered into the Cartier tent where a lunch was created by famous chef Anton Mosimann. The tent was decorated by Nicky Haslam who made several outfit changes during the day.

After lunch the English team, led by Luke Tomlinson who fell in the fifth chukka, took on the Chilean team. They had been invited back to play in honor of their former captain, Gabriel Donoso, who died in a fall last year and whose brother José represented the country on Sunday. Watching and rooting for the English team in the stands were Sam Branson and his new girlfriend, Isabella Anstruther-Gough-Calthorpe. The pair wore matching cream and blue outfits.

Despite their vocal supporters, England lost to Chile by one goal after an exciting final chukka where they nearly drew even. Prince Michael of Kent presented the Coronation Cup to the Chilean team, while Pierce Brosnan and his wife, Keely Shaye Smith, looked on from the commentator’s box.

During tea all eyes were on the Hollywood faction present, who clustered around the same table. This group included ASW member Diane Kruger (looking chic in a purple dress, cinced with a black patent leather belt), her boyfriend Joshua Jackson, Bill Nighy, James Franco, and newcomer Alice Evans, who turned heads in her black bustier dress. Factory Girl star Jack Huston, who had just returned from filming in Spain, took the opportunity to chat with his uncle, Danny. Notable ASW members milling about were Jacobi Anstruther-Gough-Calthorpe, Marissa Montgomery, a dapper Matthew Mellon in pale pinstripes and Poppy Delevigne, looking even more ethereal than usual in a Grecian-inspired cream dress.

Elsewhere on the site, former members of boy band Blue, Duncan James and Simon Webbe, flocked to the Smyle/Kidd official players’ tent where Jodie Kidd greeted the guests dressed down in a Bob Marley t-shirt and jeans. In the same area, Sarah Harding of Girls Aloud spent most of her time gyrating in front of the decks, where her current boyfriend, Tom Crane, was DJing classic rock ‘n’ roll.

After the Shapeshifters played and the other parties died down, all the remaining revelers, including soccer phenomenon and ex-Calvin Klein model Freddie Ljungberg, abandoned their champagne bottles on the lawns and made a beeline for the Chinawhite tent that had hosted 1700 people for their own lunch and was gearing up for an even larger evening.

Alas, because of the disruption that was caused to the wildlife in the park last year, the parties had to be shut down at midnight and everyone moved off to nearby Ascot to continue to party into the early hours.

— Rebecca Guinness

Photo credits: © 2007 Nick Harvey, Getty Images

Summer Art Party at Sudeley Castle

Polly Morgan

The social whirl of the English summer is usually punctuated by plenty of evenings in the depths of the countryside, and the party at Sudeley Castle to celebrate the annual exhibition in its gardens is no different. Though many a heel sank into the lawns, it did not hinder any of the revelers on Saturday night who were toasting the opening of Reconstruction #2 curated by Mollie Dent-Brocklehurst and ASW member Elliot McDonald.

McDonald was particularly pleased with the outcome of the exhibition, which used the semi- ruined walls of the old Tudor castle as an unusual backdrop. “Using a loose theme of mazes and labyrinths, we attracted some of the contemporary art world’s most interesting artists and created wonderful commissions”, he explained. And certainly London’s art world turned out in force including exhibitors Keith Tyson, Tim Noble and Sue Webster, who took to the decks later in the night, as well as other hot young artists like Henry Hudson and Polly Morgan (who combated the rainy weather with baby blue Hunter boots).

While some of the guests fretted about getting wet, there were other things on Conrad Shawcross’ mind: “I was a bit concerned that the fish were going to jump up and nibble my bulbs” he said of his mechanical light sculpture that was positioned in the center of a pond. Other pieces that proved popular with the human guests included Jane and Louise Wilson’s sound piece The silence is twice as fast backwards that took over a narrow yew path and Matt Collishaw’s ghostly Lady M.

When local band The Listening Device fronted by ASW member Harry Worcester mounted the stage and the rain started to pour again the tented dance floor filled quickly with a healthy cross section of actors, fashion types and London’s pretty young social set including Danny Huston, Diana Kamalova, Pam Hogg, Maria Papas and Violet Naylor Leland clad in a tiny turquoise baby doll dress. Other notable guests sipping late night cocktails and huddling in the Moroccan tent away from the rain included jewelry designer and actor Waris Ahluwaria, Alice Bamford, Anthony Haden-Guest and Ali Aitken.

Sophie Hunter, there to support her boyfriend Conrad Shawcross, was one of the last to arrive and as she skipped onto the dance floor in a vintage floor length peach silk dress the smile on her face told all of the evening’s success.

Reconstruction #2 at Sudeley Castle, Winchcombe, Gloucestershire from June 23, 2007–October 31, 2007

www.reconstruction.org.uk
www.sudeleycastle.co.uk
- Staff

Henley--British Summer Season Starts With Thames Regatta

The season’s social calendar launches with the Henley Royal Regatta, which has been held on the 27th weekend of every year since 1839 (except during the two World Wars). This year, the regatta begins on Wednesday 4 July, come rain or shine, and will be held on the Berkshire bank of the Thames, near the town of Henley-On-Thames.

One of the most unusual rowing events you’ll find in the country, this race is a puzzling 1 mile and 550 yards long. Unlike other regattas, only two boats compete in each race and up to 100 races take place over the course of five days. To make things even more challenging, the teams have to row upstream against the currents.

This year, 467 crews will be competing, with 114 overseas crews coming from 18 different countries. The Brits will be facing stiff competition from the likes of New Zealand, Germany, Australia, Poland, Canada, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Greece, Belgium and the United States.

The chairman of the Committee of Management, Mr Mike Sweeney, says of the 2007 Regatta, “I am absolutely delighted that we have been able to attract such a high quality entry for this year’s Regatta. Despite the pressure of this being the Olympic Qualification year, the Regatta will host many of the top stars from the sport of rowing – there will be some classic races!”

For visiting Anglophiles, the river’s banks offer the best viewing ground to see the country’s high society in all their eccentric finery, performing their yearly socializing ritual. For many, the Regatta is less about the world-class rowing and more about seeing and being seen. Socialites mingle happily and sip champagne with their backs to the river, while true sports enthusiasts line the banks to cheer on their favorites from members-only areas known as the Enclosures.

The Stewards’ Enclosure, the equivalent of the Royal Enclosure at Ascot, is the hottest ticket. Naturally, it’s only open to members of the Enclosure and their guests. It has a number of great watering holes, each with its own unique atmosphere and people-watching prospects.

Alternatively, try and wrangle a ride in one of the 50-foot day boats used for umpiring the regatta. These boats are the most beautiful and expensive you’ll see on the Thames. Not only will you get a close-up view of the races but you’ll also witness how the atmosphere changes through the different enclosures as the race moves down the Thames.

The Remenham Club – a social club run by members of seven English rowing organizations known as the ‘Founding Clubs’ – is also a good place to catch up with other ASW members. It’s the only location where you’ll hear the famed ‘Remenham Roar’, the most unique cheer of the regatta, while enjoying the serious partying that is as much a part of Henley as the rowing.
— Anne-Sophie Sabouret