Lara Stone and Alexa Chung mingled with Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie at Elton John's star-studded fund-raiser.
BY Hilary Alexander | 24 June 2011
Chopard co-president, Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele (left), in Maria Grachvogel, with David Walliams and Lara Stone, in a gown by Calvin Klein. Photo: RII SCHROER
"There's billions in there, absolute billions," observed retail billionaire, Sir Philip Green's daughter Chloe Green, resplendent in a daringly low-cut Herve Leger gown, and accompanied by her boyfriend, 'Made in Chelsea' actor, Ollie Locke.
She was right.
You could hardly move for the Diors, Lanvins, Puccis, Versaces, and Calvin Kleins, all bathed in the collective mega-watt glow of thousands of carats of diamonds and a treasure trove of precious jewels, at Sir Elton John's and David Furnish's White Tie & Tiara Ball last night.
Sir Elton himself was dazzlingly accessorised with a 260 carat emerald pendant by Chopard. A Russian oligarch's wife, resplendent in crystal-beaded Versace Atelier and Dior mink, wore David Morris at her ears, Harry Winston around her neck and a 40 carat Graf solitaire diamond the size of a large walnut on one hand and a 37-carat yellow diamond ring on the other.
It was hard not to think of money.
The auction alone raised �5 million in about 40 minutes, adding further to the �45 million pounds the balls have raised for the Elton John Aids Foundation since they were first staged in 1999, while the overall total raised to date by he foundation itself, established by the singer in 1993, now stands at �156 million.
The ball was held, as is traditional, in the grounds of Elton and David's home in Old Windsor. This year's theme was "2001: A Space Odyessy", with guests greeted by white-clad waiters made-up with silver painted eye-masks, with members of an orchestra, sitting on black plinths, complete with tubas, violas, and violins, miming to Strauss waltzes.
Royalty - both real and fashion - mingled with celebrities and the seriously wealthy, sipping champagne and 'Kryptonite' cocktails made with Grey Goose vodka and elderflower wine.
Elizabeth Hurley and her new beau, Aussie cricketer, Shane Warne, who looked fresh and fit in a Dunhill tux, arrived late, because the corset on her slinky, animal-print Cavalli gown had taken "hours to lace up". Hadn't Shane helped? "I was playing golf, but I have stepped on her train five times," he said.
The Duchess of York, in elegant black Escada, and the same diamond earrings she wore when she married Prince Andrew in 1986, arrived with daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenia. Bea, in a stunning, rose-beige lace Elie Saab gown, straight off the catwalk, was with her boyfriend, Dave Clark. Eugenie wore a favourite red Vivienne Westwood gown. Alexa Chung, looking demure in a black and white polka dot vintage gown she found 'quite cheaply' in a vintage store in New York, had accessorised with raspberry-pink Repetto ballet-pumps, a Chopard gold teddy-bear pendant and yellow diamond ring which she had picked out herself. "I had to go into the Chopard vaults. It was great fun."
Comedian David Walliams, wearing Tom Ford because "I'm his muse", was with supermodel-wife Lara Stone, chic in a beige, beaded Calvin Klein cleavage-slink, and sipping Coca-Cola Light from the new pink and white striped bottles designed especially by Karl Lagerfeld. Aristo-model and interior designer , India Hicks dazzled in a one-shouldered, black-beaded Victoria Beckham gown with her grandmother, Edwina Mountbatten's (Countess Mountbatten of Burma) white fox stole tossed over one arm. "I can't wear a tiara because I'm not married," she said. "Anyway, all our family ones have probably been sold off at Sotheby's."
In pictures: Elton John Aids Foundation Winter Ball hosted by Jean Paul Gaultier
I also spotted Beth Ditto in a black, short, custom-made Vivienne Westwood corset-crinoline; Camilla Al Fayed in red Issa; Hayley Atwell in Antonio Berardi; Elen Rives in a sensational original Ossie Clark black crepe backless wrapover gown; and Nick Candy with his girlfriend, singer, Holly Valance, in cream and rose print chiffon Dolce & Gabbana.
After cocktails, the 690 guests proceeded to a vast all-white marquee, with a futuristic laboratory foyer, decorated with crackling and fizzing coloured lasers, while the circular dining area was designed like a vast space ship.
Elton's appearance on stage caused an immediate clap-along,singalong, dance-a-thon, as he opened his gig with, appropriately, 'Rocket Man'. And there was even more of a roar when the surprise guest, George Michael, appeared and the two reprised 'Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me', just as they had sung it at Live Aid at Wembley Stadium in 1985.
More pictures in the next issue of OK! magazine, on sale Tuesday, 28 June.
Fresh Prince Greta Garbo Ava Gardner Judy Garland James Garner
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