Grace Coddington
Vogue contributing fashion editor
A great party is unpredictable, and
I like mine to be a little chaotic. Before
Christmas, I invite literally everybody
I’ve had any connection with that year- all the photographers, models and
people behind the scenes – to my office
in New York. The secret is to pack too
many people into too small a space,
because that way everybody has to talk
to everybody, and it’s bound to have a
good atmosphere.
When you host a party, you have to
keep the drinks moving. I serve the very,
very best wine, but I pour it into quite
small glasses, so when people leave them
around they can’t waste a lot of good
wine. I order mince pies (that’s my
British upbringing), and I cook shrimps
(my favourite). You boil them in salty,
salty, salty water, and then put a lot of
salt on them after that.
Every year, I have a tree decorated
with something to do with what was a
big part of my recent work. Last year,
after my collaboration with Louis
Vuitton, it was LV boxes tied everywhere.
This year, I’ll have to hang some mini
British Vogues!
Irina Shayk Model
An amazing mix of guests is crucial.
That’s what I loved about the White
House Correspondents’ Dinner, back
when Barack Obama was president, in- On my table, the group combined
politicians, musicians and journalists –
I was the only model. I chatted with the
first female National Security Advisor.
To my left was a writer of presidential
speeches, telling me crazy stories about
trips to Moscow – where they caught
hotel security searching their rooms.
Everyone had questions about what
each other’s lives were like.
When you bring together people
from different worlds, things will always
get interesting. Just be sure to feed
them well – because food is the most
essential element for a party’s success.
I’m someone who loves to eat, so a
buffet is the way to go. It’s not overly
formal or awkward, and you can serve
yourself exactly the amount you want.
Pelmeni, delicious Russian dumplings,
are perfect for a party, and so pretty.
But the real trick to making an event
unforgettable is to have more than one
Russian in the room. Russians really
know how to party. >A 21st that went wild,
jet-set extravaganzas,
cosy Christmas
gatherings... From
Naomi Campbell to
Kate Moss, Diane
Keaton to Kris Jenner,
nine women reflect
on the soirées they’ll
never forgetLIFE
of the
PARTY
Irina Shayk,
photographed
by Mert Alas &
Marcus Piggott,
Italian Vogue,
December 2017131MERT ALAS & MARCUS PIGGOTTLIVING
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