vogue and fashion's night out

Some pictures taken last week at Vogue House. (I feel that I cannot continue without stating that the man in the photograph just above is innocently waiting for a lift rather than 'taking a slash' behind the Conde Nast screens. Even though it would arguably be better if it was the latter.) I was invited to a small breakfast to hear about Vogue's plans for this years Fashion's Night Out on September 8th. Everyone politely ignored the granola and yogurt and salmon canapes and little piles of shiny strawberries (I didn't) while being filled in on the various in-store events that will be taking place across central London next week. Because the British love any excuse to have a Street Party (we even feigned monarchical patriotism back in April just so we could string up some bunting in the street) this year the whole of Bond Street will be pedestrianised with live music, Vogue information 'sheds' which will house photobooths and customization points as well as lots of party over spill from the stores participating in the late night shopping knees up.

While digesting all of this information Alexandra Shulman popped into the room and quietly worked her way around talking to people and although I feared that upon meeting her I may do something inappropriate like spontaneously curtsy, as soon as myself and Navaz started chatting to her any nervousness was dispelled. I ended up feeling like I was talking to the parent of a friend as she asked how I balance blogging with univeristy and I just about resisted the urge to casually begin my answers with 'Well Alex..' She was wearing a long-sleeved vintage dress with small tropical patterns in greens and oranges and a pair of kitten heels which were suddenly very appealing; an overall get-up that could have equally suited a Mad Men-era Summer party or a glamorous Ibiza dinner in the 1970s. 

My personal favourites of the planned in-store events are the Hawaiian-themed do at Liberty, complete with a Rum Shack, DJs and Lulu Kennedy and her Fashion East friends and family Richard Nicoll, Jonathan Saunders, Simone Rocha, Michael Van der Ham and Bella Freud who will all be around for a fashion show-and-tell, talking customers through their collections. Beyond Retro are hosting an evening of presentations from top stylists on how to 'survive' the fashion industry with the chance for Q+As and complimentary drinks (a challenge in itself if you're quaffing free drinks while trying to impress your idols.) Endless brownie points go to Mulberry for their genius idea of serving mini toad-in-the-holes and laying on fortune tellers, manicurists and the prize draws every half an hour. In a double-nod to all things Seventies revival Tiffany and Co's Bond St store is being turned into a Warhol-era disco with body paint artists, photobooths and hairstyling salons while in his Mayfair store Rupert Sanderson will pay homage to the glamour of a good old fashioned Roller Disco.