Sebastian Copeland / Antartica: The Global Warning

Celebrity photographer and ASW member Sebastian Copeland now has a bevy of new models posing in front of his camera: all breathtakingly beautiful, majestic, with ice-cold glares, Copeland describes them as his latest obsession.

So, who are these mystery muses?

Located in the southern most hemisphere, spread over five million square miles of pure ice, the melting icebergs of Antarctica have been the focal point of Copeland's photographs for several years and are the underlying theme of his latest book, Antarctica: The Global Warning, a compilation of photographs documenting the perils of imminent global warming.

The book contains a foreword by Mikhail Gorbachev, an introduction by Leonard di Caprio and a chapter by ASW member, David de Rothschild.

"I'm just trying to engage and educate people about the dangers of climate change. It's an important warning to which we should pay attention," says Copeland, who is also a board member of Global Green USA, an environmental NGO.

And what better way to engage people than to host a celebrity-studded event to raise awareness, as Copeland did, in association with ASMALLWORLD and Max Studio-- at the Jan Kesner Gallery in L.A last week.

Guests in attendance included ASW President and CEO Joe Robinson, Max Studio's Orion Hand and Ame Max, actresses Brittany Murphy and Julie Delpy and Copeland's cousin Orlando Bloom, who accompanied the photographer on his Antarctic odyssey.

"It was a great opportunity to see what was at stake," said Orlando Bloom. "I took a four-week trip there with my cousin and it's clear the earth needs protection. We really need to team together and do something to help."

That "something" involved Copeland instructing members of his ship to disembark on an iceberg in 2006 and align themselves so their bodies spelt out the letters "S.O.S": an echo of the continent's plea for help, which, according to actress Julie Delpy is yet to be heard by politicians.

"The environment is still not a priority in politics and it needs to be," she says. "The problem needs more attention. It is, after all, our future."

— Mmoma Ejiofor

Sushi Samurais Battle for Top Sushi Honor

Sushi epicures gathered at the Sushi of the Year 2007 competition at London House for the ultimate sushi fix last Tuesday night.

On the menu were seven nigiri dishes prepared by top sushi chefs – collectively billed the ‘Seven Sushi Samurai’ – who competed for the sushi world’s highest honour.

Now in its sixth year, the challenge attracts global competitors from Michelin-starred restaurants such as Nobu, as well as an impressive line-up of judges. Kyle Connaughton, guest judge and head chef of development at Heston Blumenthal’s famed Fat Duck restaurant was keen to participate: “We are influenced by Japanese technique at the Fat Duck,” said Connaughton. “We are always looking to Japanese food-science to enhance our cuisine.”

Visiting gourmands also had the chance to sample each nigiri and cast their votes alongside the judges – not before cleansing their palettes with some shochu highballs of course. ASW member Lini Kuhl was amongst those grazing on the spreads. “I’m looking forward to trying a new combination that isn’t usually in sushi,” she said, adding that she was eyeing Nobu chef Yasuhiro Mineno’s Scottish beef nigiri with miso marinade and a dab of English mustard.

The event highlights an interesting foodie conundrum: on one hand, sushi represents the value of tradition and simplicity in cuisine. But to Japanese sushi chefs working abroad, being inventive is a necessity as traditional materials are often scarce.

Sushi’s global popularity also means that non-Japanese chefs are integrating their own cultures and regional ingredients. Andrei Sim, chef at Moscow’s Planeta Sushi, for example, wowed the crowd with ‘Red Square’, a nigiri sushi consisting of red flesh tuna with mirin gelee on a cream cheese and beetroot sushi rice base.

Sushi innovation triumphed in the end when Masashi Ogata was crowned the event’s winner. The chef had intended to use shark fin in his ‘Golden Shooting Star’ sushi. Unable to find quality shark fin in London, Ogata recreated the taste and texture using vegetarian ingredients such as daikon sprouts, maple syrup-infused apple and cornflakes.

“It was absolutely unlike sushi I've had anywhere else," said novelist Tobias Hill on the winning sushi. Hill, who described his first taste of sushi in 1987 as "one of the most alien things I'd ever eaten at that point," should know since he is now familiar with the London sushi scene. "Nobu is lovely, although a little trendy," he said. "But this [Golden Shooting Star] sushi is a surprise."

— Taraneh Ghajar

From Comunista to Fashionista--Models Strut Down the Great Wall of China

When Qin Shi Huang erected the Great Wall of China in 221 BC, protection of the Chinese Empire's northern borders was what he had in mind. More than 2000 years later, Karl Lagerfeld had a different thought.

Last week, for the first time, the historic monument was transformed into the world's largest runway to showcase Fendi's Spring 2008 collection. The show, which was the grand finale to a four-day extravaganza, was attended by socialites, celebrities and fashionistas including Kate Bosworth, Zhang Ziyi, Tinsley Mortimer, Thandie Newton, ASW Members Julia Restoin-Roitfeld, Amanda Hearst, Fabiola Beracasa, Laird Borrelli, Billy Farrell (New York's ubiquitous shutterbug) and Zani Gugelmann who effusively recalls the show as being "a magical, surreal moment - surpassing all expectations I could have ever imagined."

Not everyone was so happy. ASW member and Executive Director of the Association for Asian Research, Erping Zhang, felt that "reducing a historical landmark such as the Great Wall to a commercial site for self promotion is not a decent idea."

As we march towards the 2008 Olympics, it is becoming increasingly clear that China, a politically socialist, yet seemingly economically capitalist nation is openly and visibly embracing American and European luxury brands, and placing them center stage.

It also seemed fitting that the Fendi celebrations overshadowed the Chinese Communist Party's Annual Convention, which was held during the same timeframe.

— Sabine Heller and Alonso Dominguez

Rachel Zoe's "Style: A to Zoe" Party at Cartier in LA

"Manners maketh the man" as William of Wykeham's old adage goes, but it's the accessories that maketh the icon, according to celebrity fashion stylist Rachel Zoe.

And how fitting that a trend-setter who espouses such a belief should choose Cartier to host the launch party of her new book, Style A to Zoe at the jewelers flagship store in Beverly Hills, providing Zoe with ample opportunity to bask in the glory of her success in a playground of the best-dressed celebrities - Djimon Hounsou, Emmy Rossum, Joy Bryant and Farrah Fawcett to name a few.

Draped in a shimmering-gold vintage Halston dress, made complete by the tousled, blond locks, the heavily-penciled eyes and tanned waif-thin arms and legs sprouting from the garment's openings, Zoe arrived at Cartier last night, looking every bit as stylish as the beauty mannequins she's famous for dressing.

"I wrote this book as a way of helping people understand style, a way of getting into their minds," said the 36 year-old fashion auteur. "I'm just trying to understand who my readers are and how they view fashion." So what can readers expect from this latest fashion Torah?

"Love, passion and dreams," according to Frederic de Narp, President of Cartier North America and a staunch supporter of the Rachel's latest endeavor." Like Cartier, Rachel is a pioneer, a trend-setter, she creates style, she makes dreams come true."

Although the book explores the concept style and its many facets, Zoe remains hard-pressed to define what style actually is. "It's completely subjective. You can't grasp it because it's just so personal."

Actress Emmy Rossum agrees.

"It's your own personal flair and aesthetics," said Rossum, an ASW member. "It's an expression of how you want the world to see you. I very much look forward to reading the book."

— Mmoma Ejiofor

The Cartier Award 2007: And the Winner is...?

On the first day of London’s Frieze Art Fair, a full house of serious art buyers and seriously puzzled artists laughed and scratched their heads as the 2007 Cartier Award recipient, Mario Garcia Torres, used an actor representing a pseudonym to present his winning project.

The Los Angeles-based Torres, who has exhibited at the Tate Modern, Kadist Art Foundation and Venice Biennale, took 'playful' to another level with a droll monologue for a nonexistent but notorious entertainment world scapegoat, Allen Smithee. Beginning in 1968, Hollywood directors would credit Allen Smithee, an anagram for 'The Alias Men', when they felt they lost creative control of their film. Allen Smithee’s filmography has 67 films so far.

“I am a dustbin of creative work, an unlikely collection of artistic rubbish and cobbled together leftovers. You can really make it as a garbage collector,” cautioned the actor, employed by Torres as Smithee. Torres managed to challenge the confines of a creative act in only thirty minutes, pointing out that a collective body of artistic failure can turn into success.

Curator of Frieze Projects, Neville Wakefield, describes Torres’ work as, “an irresistible combination of dry wit and conceptual elegance sure to perplex, confuse and hold everyone’s attention.” Indeed, Torres managed to genuinely confuse the audience, who craved a glimpse of the elusive artist and wondered if Allen Smithee was, in fact, a famous director.

—Taraneh Ghajar

The 2007 London Film Festival

What’s it all about?
It doesn’t have the glamour of Cannes or the art house cachet of Venice or Berlin but this year’s London Film Festival is attracting its fair share of Hollywood A-listers, including Tom Cruise, Sean Penn, Naomi Watts and Halle Berry.

Why go?
Unlike the other major European film festivals, which are mainly in-house affairs, the LFF is about public audiences. In other words, you don’t have to be a film critic or work in the business to actually get to see the films and, often, meet the cast and crew.

Among the list of more than 300 movies are films from 43 countries. Yes, you can discover obscure South American or Eastern European gems that will never show in London otherwise. You can also get sneak previews of mainstream hits that will shortly show at your local multiplex – Leicester Square will be donning a red carpet 15 times over the two weeks for gala performances.

What’s on the agenda?
Opening the festival is David Cronenberg’s Eastern Promises, a dark thriller set in London’s criminal underworld. Cronenberg and two of the stars, Naomi Watts and Vincent Cassel, will be present. (A tip: If the gala performances are booked up, the stars will usually turn up to the following day’s afternoon screening.)

And the glam factor?
The most extravagant night out will be the premiere of Robert Redford’s political thriller, Lions for Lambs, on October 22. LFF’s main sponsor, The Times, is hosting a state banquet-themed party at the Waldorf Hilton after the screening, which will be attended by Redford and leading man, Tom Cruise, who plays a presidential candidate.

Ken Livingstone, a less glamorous but nonetheless real-life politician, will be hosting the Mayor of London’s gala film – Ang Lee’s Lust, Caution – and a post-screening event at the Royal Opera House on October 20.

Wes Anderson’s new movie, The Darjeeling Limited, closes the festival on November 1. The story of three brothers – played by Adrien Brody, Owen Wilson and Jason Schwartzman – traveling across India, the film promises typical Anderson whimsy with rich images and a great soundtrack. Of the trio, only Wilson – who has been keeping a low profile since a suicide attempt – will be absent from the gala performance.

What else should I get tickets for?
Other highlights will include Sean Penn’s directorial adaptation of the Jon Krakauer book, Into the Wild, Halle Berry in Things We Lost in the Fire (in which she plays a woman who loses her husband) and Michael Moore’s polemic doco, Sicko, about the US healthcare system.

Is there anything to do between screenings?
One of the problems of the LFF has been that screenings are spread out across the city. There is no central venue where film people and the public can mingle. The situation, however, may be different this year with the recent opening of the Benugo Bar and Kitchen at the British Film Institute on the South Bank. For the first time, there will be a classy location for film-goers to hang out before and after screenings at the National Film Theatre.

The details:
The festival runs from October 17 to November 1. Check official website for schedules: www.bfi.org.uk

— Alex Bellos

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

Models and Celebs Take to the Catwalk for UK Food Relief

Naomi Campbell is planning to give fashion-faithfuls some bang for their buck when she presents Fashion for Relief, a benefit fashion show to be held in London later this week.

Clothing from world renowned fashion houses, including Burberry, Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, Dior and Dolce & Gabbana will be paraded by celebrities and legendary models alike, including Elle Macpherson, Leah Wood, Daphne Guinness, David Furnish, Jodie Kidd, Lily Cole, Elizabeth Jagger, Yasmin Le Bon, Rosario Dawson and others.

And with tickets available to the public at prices ranging from 100 pounds to 750 pounds (for front row VVIP tickets), attendees can be sure their money is supporting more than just their passion for fashion. One hundred per cent of the proceeds from the show will go towards the Rotary Flood Disaster Appeal, which assists communities in the affected flood districts of the UK where flood damage is currently estimated at 3 billion pounds.

As if that weren’t reason enough to secure your seat at this fashion extravaganza, VVIP ticket holders will also walk away with goodie bags featuring such covetable items as a Garrard pendant, a Mulberry wallet and a Missoni and Naomi Campbell fragrance.

The show will take place at the Natural History Museum in London on September 20, at the end of London Fashion Week. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster, at www.ticketmaster.co.uk or by calling +44 08702434455.

— Laura Jakobovits

Racing Back in Time: Goodwood Revival

The British social season took a ride back to the past at the Goodwood Revival, one of the world’s most prestigious vintage car racing events, held earlier this month. And what an authentic trip it was!

The sprawling West Sussex estate could have been the set of Casablanca or The Aviator with the very real sensation of being ‘quantum leaped’ back in time, added in for good measure. Guests wore the most incredible costumes: there were military uniforms, WWII nurses, Teddy Boys in leather jackets and quiffs, a scattering of mods and plenty of Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn clones.

But the time capsule effect was seen in a lot more than just fashion. The Revival is the only sporting event where everything stays true to the theme; even the fish & chips were wrapped in decades-old newspapers! The yesteryear feel was compounded by the bands playing 1950s music from swing to rock ‘n’ roll and by the Spitfires and Mustangs on air display.

This year marked the tenth anniversary of the Revival, which was masterminded by aristo-entrepreneur, Charles, the Earl of March. The Earl’s painstaking efforts have ensured that Goodwood does nostalgia like nowhere else in this day and age.

The main attraction is, of course, the races. This year saw the all-new grid of popular sports cars such as the Porsche 904 and early 911, Ferrari 275 GTB, Alfa Romeo TZ1 and rare TZ2. As well, more specialist British sporting vehicles featured such as the Lotus 26R, Marcos 1800 GT, Sunbeam Tiger and TVR Griffith.

Le Mans winners Derek Bell and Jacky Ickx, Formula One aces Sir Stirling Moss and Johnny Herbert, Jackie Oliver and Tiff Needell, and auto-fans Rowan Atkinson and Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason all took part in door-handle races. The mix of aristocrats, celebrities and regular punters made the three days the ultimate motoring event to close the English summer season.

— Katherine Zenkovich

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

Festival Season in Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the most exciting place to be on the planet in August when Scotland’s capital hosts not one but six major festivals plus a spectacular Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle, which packs in over 8,000 people every night. Visitors flock from all over the globe to be amazed, stimulated and entertained or just revel in the giddy ambiance of a city that knows how to party.

The International Festival is the most established, offering three weeks of top class international talent from the worlds of music, dance, theatre and opera. The hottest musical ticket was the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela. Conducted by the charismatic 26 year-old, Gustavo Dudamel, the 200-strong youth orchestra – including many musicians who were living in deprivation before being given the opportunity to learn music – wowed audiences with their dynamism and energy.

This year’s focus on early music has seen crowds flocking to Monteverdi’s madrigals, an inspired contemporary burlesque of his Poppea and the ravishing seventeenth century opera L’Orfeo conducted by Jordi Savall. The viola da gamba player came to fame with his film score for Tous Les Matins du Monde, starring Gerard Depardieu.

Bank of Scotland Fireworks Concert

Of course star spotting is de rigueur in Edinburgh with the film festival attracting a slew of celebrities. Among the stars on the red carpet this year were Stellan Skarsgard (Pirates of the Caribbean) promoting his horror film WAZ, the cult filmmaker, John Waters, for the UK premiere of This Filthy World and Julie Delpy, closing the festival with her romantic comedy Two Days in Paris. Actors Chris Cooper and Ryan Phillippe generated a lot of interest with their thriller Breach, written and directed by Billy Ray and based on a true story of a traitorous FBI agent.

Stories of every shape, form and genre provoke a variety of intense literary discussions at the Edinburgh Book Festival, the jewel in UNESCO City of Literature’s crown. This year, for the first time, those who couldn’t come still managed to make an appearance. Confused? Norman Mailer and Alice Munro were not only beamed live to the festival via satellite but were able to sign books thanks to an extraordinary invention by author Margaret Atwood called the Long Pen. As the name suggests, signatures appear on the page, as if by magic, thousands of miles away.

But for sheer originality and outlandishness, you can’t beat the Fringe Festival – there’s something here for everyone. ASW member Marysia Trembecka in her show, Find me a Primitive Man, dispensed valuable tips on dating and finally answered all our questions as to why so many women find David Beckham attractive.

-- Susan Nickalls

The US Open--Top Tennis, Parties and Celebrities

Maria Sharapova

The US Open has once again rolled into New York and it promises to be more competitive and glitzier than ever. A record amount of prize money is at stake, 650,000 spectators are expected and celebrity attendance will be the most paparazzi-friendly in history. And if that’s not enough, the world’s most lucrative annual sporting event is competing for attention with New York Fashion Week for the first time in history.

Hopefully you’ve booked your town cars, Four Seasons hotel suites and contacted a great ticket broker to join the fortnight filled with impressive tennis action and champagne receptions. For US$50,000 some visitors to NYC covered all bases with a package deal at the posh Lowell Hotel. For that price, pampered guests receive three nights at the 2500 square foot penthouse, VIP seating at the men’s and women’s semis and finals, a gourmet basket of champagne and caviar to take to the matches and transportation in a Bentley Flying Spur.

However you get there, there is plenty to do on the grounds and in the city throughout this two-week period. The tournament will feature virtually every top player in the world but highlight the two with the greatest Forbes earnings potentials – Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova. Both superstars are defending champions at Flushing Meadows and smart odds are on them to retain their prized titles. The Swiss is the overwhelming favorite among the men to take his fourth consecutive trophy in New York. Reaching each of the last nine Grand Slam finals and winning the US Open series thanks to his dominant performance in Cincinnati, he’s fit, confident and determined to claim the prize in Arthur Ashe Stadium in front of A-list supporters like Anna Wintour (who rarely misses his matches). Novak Djokovic edged the world’s number one in Montréal but he only needed to win a best of three duel to pull off that magnificent upset. The young Serb is simply not fit enough this year for 21 intense sets of winning tennis though. Other potentials to reach the finals are Rafael Nadal (who has never done well in New York), inconsistent 2006 finalist Andy Roddick, resurgent James Blake, emotional Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis and former champion Lleyton Hewitt, who has had a solid summer.

Sharapova won San Diego earlier this summer and pulled out of Los Angeles with some sort of leg injury. The leggy Russian is never-the-less gracing New York with her loud grunts and ferocious backhands intact. She’s rested and anxious to prove her doubtful critics wrong. Six slightly less publicized ladies will stand in her way; Justine Henin won Toronto but she isn’t fully match-tough; Serena Williams hasn’t played all summer and is a doubtful contender; and Wimbledon champion Venus is ready to back up her London miracle. Serbians Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic seem destined for an international breakthrough, while another Russian, Anna Chakvetadze, wants Gotham fans to finally memorize her excruciatingly difficult last name.

But Sharapova has already won in the celebrity fan department. “I think that she is one of the few young icons today that is meritorious, not just a celebutante,” noted tennis fan Vera Wang. “I think she is someone who proves that just because you are beautiful does not mean that you are not hardworking, accomplished and talented.” Fabiola Beracasa, whose boyfriend is a former tennis player, also reserved her highest esteem for Sharapova: “She’s a phenomenal athlete and I admire that she has a strong, healthy body. I was obviously surprised at how tall and blonde she was but I also admire her fashion sense. For a person of such a young age, she’s not afraid to find vintage pieces and take wonderful risks with her styling!” Wang, Beracasa, Oscar de La Renta, Bee Shaffer, Lauren Bush, Ralph and Dylan Lauren are some of the regulars expected at the grounds, along with Sheryl Crow, Robin Williams, Jim Carrey, and Katie Couric who have already reserved tickets to this year’s parade of tennis stars.

Parties and tennis player sightings are of course on top of everyone’s agenda this year. The Annual Taste of Tennis event will showcase cuisine created by celebrity chefs like Marcus Samuelsson and David Burke and served by tennis stars like Roddick and former US Open Champ Svetlana Kuznetsova. Sharapova will host a Nike party at Top of The Rock (the Rockefeller Centre), while Jancovic will treat guests to a Reebok brunch. Nobu 57 will be packed nightly with tennis stars like Nicole Vaidisova and Daniela Hantuchova, while players like Andy Murray and Tommy Haas will gather nightly at Nick Bollettieri’s Bar at the Radisson Lexington Hotel. Opening Night Gala will feature a grandiose tribute to Althea Gibson with a performance by Aretha Franklin and the rumored appearance of a megastar named Oprah. For some tennis stars though, old-fashioned entertainment in New York City reigns supreme. “I love musicals! They are the best!” exclaims Rafael Nadal. “I always go to Broadway and Times Square when I’m in town!”

— Valentine Uhovski

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

Super Saturday

Fabiola and The Tinz

The word 'super' barely did the 10th annual Super Saturday garage sale extravaganza any justice. With everyone from Alberta Ferretti to Zac Posen flogging their wares under the tents at the field of the Hamptons' Nova Ark Project, it was more of a case of a super-size Saturday of unadulterated shopping. The sale, hosted by designer and summer Hamptons denizen Donna Karan, is clearly no ordinary garage sale. Before even eyeing up a single pair of cut-price Helmut Lang pants, attendees shelled out $400 for general admission tickets. It was all for an excellent cause since every cent went directly to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.

ASW members such as Petra Nemcova, Fabiola Beracasa and Jason Beckman were on hand to shop up a storm for charity. The ASW contingent was also represented on the other side of stalls. We noted that Stacy Bendet's Alice + Olivia and Sulaika Zarrouk and Lily Rafii's Felix Rey was doing brisk business all afternoon. Rachel Zoe, Christy Turlington and Petra Nemcova were amongst the other attendees who stalked the grassy aisles looking for bargains. Guests who could tear themselves away from the rails of Zac Posen suits, Diane von Furstenberg dresses and Turnbull and Asser shirts took time out to enjoy free manicures, gelato and psychic readings in surrounding tents.

Meanwhile, as closing time approached, retailers dropped prices to the floor, resulting in some super, super bargains. Vera Wang gowns, for example, were going for a mere $50. By the end of the day, most guests had amassed an impressive collection of shopping bags but there was still more to take home. At the gate, guests with the right wristband received a weighty extra-large goodie bags.

— Sabine Heller

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

Tribeca Films Goes to Beijing!

Planet b-boy

Chinese films have always featured strongly at the Tribeca Film Festival, since its founding five years ago by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff. In fact, in the last six years, the Tribeca Film Festival has screened 18 feature length and short films from Chinese filmmakers.

Its fitting then that the Tribeca Film Festival just completed a special two-day independent film event in Beijing. The event was called Tribeca 798 Film Festival Beijing and centered around special screenings of director Benson Lee's documentary Planet B-Boy about the vibrant global resurgence of break-dancing seen through the eyes of a Las Vegas dancer, a Korean son, and a boy facing rascism.

The two days were action-packed and included a block party on opening night at 798, Beijing's thriving and bustling art district, which began as a sprawling communist factory compound.

"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to help create a platform for independent film in China and to further deepen the ties between the Chinese film community and the Tribeca Film Festival," said ASW member Jon Patricof, COO of Tribeca Enterprises.

Grace Chen, Managing Director of William Morris China, adds, "Tribeca 798 Film Festival Beijing is a cultural exchange about community, family, and film that links the creative center of China to the vibrant city of New York."

— Laura Jakobovits

Olivia Chantecaille Gives ASW the Scoop on Valentino's 45th Bash

Valentino Garavani toasted his 45 glamorous years in fashion with a lavish 3-day fete in Rome. Everyone from Iranian Empress Farah Diba Pahlavi to Mick Jagger turned up to toast the designer’s work. ASW member and Valentino muse Olivia Chantecaille kept a diary on her Blackberry of the sumptuous celebrations

I just knew that the Valentino dream weekend had truly begun when I flew into Rome sitting next to Rupert Everett and Joan Collins. The ' friendly skies' had just become the 'glamorous skies'! When we landed, there was sunshine and a perfect temperature of 85 degrees. Somehow, Valentino had managed to conjure up ideal weather while the rest of Europe suffered through clouds and unseasonably cold days. Bravo!

Valentino a Roma: 45 Years of Style Exhibition Opening at Ara Pacis Museum
I arrived at my hotel to find a welcome note from Valentino himself and some very thoughtful goodies. He definitely knows how to make a woman feel special and this was only the beginning of a weekend filled with wonderful surprises.

I slipped into a gray satin couture cocktail dress with a beaded halter neck and headed off to the Ara Pacis Museum to view the most spectacular exhibit celebrating 45 years of Valentino’s creations. The man himself was at the door to greet me and other guests. I then ran into my darling friend, Carlos Souza, Valentino’s PR chief and my friend and Vanity Fair fashion editor, Alexis Bryan, who introduced me to the very dashing Tom Ford. I was very happy to find that my New York friends had all arrived at the same time - we are clearly on the same party clock! The group included Alison Sarofim, Carlos Mota, and ASW members Andrew Saffir, Daniel Benedict, Lauren Davis and the Santo Domingo boys.

The exhibit was the most exquisite fashion display ever. Each room was devoted to a color. The museum’s clean and modern look created the ideal backdrop for the 300 intricate Valentino creations. Guests at the opening included Vogue editor Anna Wintour, Claire Danes, Elle Macpherson, Patrick Demarchelier, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Eva Mendes.

Temple of Venus dinner
After the opening, we headed en masse to the Temple of Venus, which overlooks the Colosseum. It was lit in Valentino red. Dinner was a spectacular buffet of fresh mozzarella di buffalo and the lightest pasta that virtually melted in your mouth. Low tables and cushioned seats were strewn amongst the ancient ruins. I sat with Alexis Bryan, Anna Wintour, Shelby Bryan and Patrick Demarchelier. Everyone was elated by the surreal perfection of the evening.

A sudden spray of fireworks turned our attention to the sky where a glowing crescent moon was poised above the Colosseum. We were treated to a magnificent display as color after color of lights burst into the night. There was a momentary pause and a dancer, suspended on strings, twirled across the sky. She was joined by more dancers in red gowns, which created impressive silhouettes against the changing colors of the Colosseum. A giant balloon decorated in Valentino’s name scattered these fairies and floated into the sky. The spectacle was completed with a fireworks finale that was surely worthy of the gods.

The Winter Couture show
The next day, we were invited to attend the Valentino winter couture show at 5 p.m. Set in a stunning gallery, the walls were lined with the most tremendous photos of Valentino’s gowns. One of my favorites was an image of Linda Evangelista in a strapless dress with a bustier of white roses. Meanwhile, all of Valentino’s ladies from Hollywood to Dubai eagerly awaited the show, fanning themselves with Valentino fans to combat the heat. Uma Thurman strode in wearing a long sleeved white sequin dress that flattered in every way imaginable.

The show was a dream worth waiting for. Every look was utterly exquisite. At the end, the crowd jumped to its feet and Valentino came out to thunderous applause. Before he had made it to the end of the runway, his business partner, Giancarlo Giametti embraced him warmly. Both men had tears in their eyes. Everyone ambled out into the sunlight slightly drunk with the emotions that reverberated in the hall.

Villa Borghese gala
I wore a Valentino gown in rose for the evening’s gala at the Villa Borghese. Inside the palazzo, guests ambled around milk white statues - my favorite was Bernini’s Apollo and Daphne - in galleries of marble and painted walls and ceilings that evoked thoughts of the Sistine chapel.

Then, we made our way on to the red carpet and joined guests such as Mick Jagger and L'Wren Scott, Rachel Zoe and Matthew Broderick on a terrace where Valentino greeted us with open arms for the grand finale of the weekend’s festivities. Each woman looked more glamorous than the next in her Valentino gown, sipping champagne and chatting with the designer.

A set of big doors then opened to a dining room painted with the rich colors of Shanghai red and gold bamboo. Guests poured into the hall for the elaborate banquet. After the dinner, Giancarlo Giametti sauntered on to the stage to say a few touching words about the man of honor and introduced a short film of Valentino hard at work creating his magic.

After the film ended, the curtain dropped for a beat and then lifted again to reveal Annie Lennox seated at the piano in a shimmering black Valentino dress. She serenaded the crowd with her powerful voice, which almost blew the roof off the palazzo. Afterwards, the DJ took over and got everyone dancing non-stop for five hours, which could only happen in Rome. It was a definitely a night to remember!

Photo Credits:© Billy Farrrel/PatrickMcmullan.com

Cuckoo, Ciapriani Play Polo for Las Pampas Charity Drive

The children at the Santa Maria Primary School in Argentina’s La Pampas prayed for sunshine and clear blue skies to hold some 6,000 miles away in Ham, England on June 16. The reason for their rather peculiar weather request was that conditions needed to be right for a charity polo match to benefit Fundacion Pro-Alvear, a non-profit that serves social and education causes in Argentina’s northern Pampas region. Their pleas were apparently heard and registered by the good Lord since the forecasted rain stopped just before players from London’s nightspot of the moment, The Cuckoo Club, and the city's long-time favorite spot, Cipriani London, took to the field of the Ham Polo Club for the sold-out event.

With players such as Bautista Heguy and Gaston Laulhe from Argentina and Henry Brett, former captain of the England polo team, on the field in competing teams, there was no charity during the chukkas. The Bellini-sipping crowd cheered on their chosen team but it was The Cuckoo Club’s players who triumphed in the end. The Federation of International Polo president Patrick Guerrand-Hermès was on hand to present the team with their prizes.

After the match, Cuckoo's legendary DJ Dom T kept guests on their feet and entertained in the marquee on the field and later at the after-party at The Cuckoo Club in Mayfair. Despite attracting around 600 people, the event felt intimate since it seemed that everyone was a "friend of a friend". ASW members such as Ayesha Makim, Steven Wood, Moritz Poehl and Kalita Al-Swaidi, and the event’s organizers Alexander Nix, Juan Pepa and Timo Weber ensured that ASW was well-represented amongst the crowd of polo stars, nightclub impresarios and habitués.

— Staff

Christian Dior's 60th Anniversary: Couture Collection

Helena Christensen

When it comes to a 60th anniversary celebration of Dior with 10 years of artistic direction from John Galliano, it’s hard to imagine anything but an entirely opulent and lavish affair. And that it was, as a star-studded list of guests descended upon the Versailles Palace near Paris on Monday July 2, for an evening no-doubt reminiscent of the parties once hosted there by Louis XIV.

The sound of uninvited hopefuls pleading with security for entry was drowned out by a flamenco singer welcoming guests in the Orangerie garden. The Orangerie, originally built by Louis XIV to house his fruit trees in the winter time, was the site of the ball and decorated in a theme of ‘sweeping romance’. Moroccan tents, crystal chandeliers, silver trees, silver chairs and mythological animals on pedestals contributed to the hedonistic and utterly indulgent feel of the evening.

In honor of Dior, Galliano presented an extravagant autumn/winter haute couture collection inspired by the works of the great artists, including Picasso and da Vinci.
“To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the house of Christian Dior, we explored Mr Dior’s first collection, not of fashion, but of his favorite artists,” Galliano explained to his audience.

Catwalk super models of past and present, including Linda Evangelista and Naomi Campbell, showered Galliano with affection as his excited audience gave him a standing ovation – not only for this show but for Dior and Galliano’s outstanding contributions to the fashion world.

As the night continued, guests including Pedro Almodóvar, Sofia Coppola and Gisele Bündchen tore up the dance floor to tunes from DJ Jeremy Healy, sound designer of all Galliano shows. Others, including Juliette Binoche, Monica Belucci, Eva Green, Kate Hudson, Jessica Alba, Karen Mulder and Charlize Theron, reveled in the ambience and theme of all things neo-romantic.

If one message came from the evening that kicked of Paris Couture Week 2007, it was that haute couture – though previously pronounced dead by many critics – is most definitely back!

— Laura Jakobovits and Benjamin Cassan