Londoner’s Diary
“I’m feeling quite overwhelmed. I didn’t think I could really write music any more,” said a tearful Lily Allen in the bathroom at her album launch party at the Standard hotel. After a seven-year hiatus from music, Allen is back with West End Girl, which documents — in unflinching detail — the breakdown of her marriage to Stranger Things actor David Harbour. On the night of the album’s release last Friday, Perfect Magazine hosted a dinner for Allen and pals at the Standard’s restaurant, Decimo.
There were some charming personal touches to the evening, such as the gift boxes next to each guest’s place at the dinner table. Instead of the usual offering of, say, a scented candle, each one contained a blue and white polka dot butt plug – a reference to a lyric on the song “Pussy Palace” in which Allen finds a bag at her husband’s pied-à-terre with the offending item inside.
Lucky recipients of the party favour included Allen’s podcast co-host Miquita Oliver, model Adwoa Aboah, Perfect editor Katie Grand and presenter Nick Grimshaw. Now there’s an album plug.
Party like Kim K
Kim Kardashian knows how to squeeze it all in. The reality star touched down in London for the premiere of All’s Fair, the legal drama she’s starring in, at Odeon Leicester Square. After walking the red carpet and showing her face at the afterparty, she changed into something a little less comfortable and hot-footed it to photographer Mert Alas’s house to celebrate her 45th birthday with Kate Moss and co. There was a burlesque performance, a surprise musical number from Daphne Guinness and copious Seventy One gin martinis.
Meanwhile, artist Maggi Hambling had a slightly lower-key shindig at Larry’s Bar to celebrate her 80th birthday. Guests included sculptor Andrew Logan, who is also a newly minted octogenarian, and director of the National Portrait Gallery Victoria Siddall. Earlier that evening, writer Yomi Adegoke and actors Hayley Atwell, Rosamund Pike, Rashida Jones and Bel Priestley were on Sloane Street to toast designer Erdem Moralıoğlu’s new store.
