Lulu’s love-in

London’s social scenesters were out in all their finery last night to celebrate Lulu Guinness’s 20th anniversary in the courtyard of the V&A. Blimey, it was like falling into the party pages of ES magazine – Jo Wood, check, Jade Parfitt, check, Sophie Ellis Bextor, check, Daisy de Villeneuve, check… you get the idea. There was also a whole brace of hot-right-now music girls – Little Boots, Florence from Florence & The Machine and Katy Perry although I didn’t recognise a single one of them, oops. 

My ‘date’ was accessory designer Fred Butler who emailed to say ‘I’m not dressing up’ then pitched up rocking the coolest authentic Japanese kimono – natch. She did however redeem herself by gifting me one of her wonderful origami hair accessories (Lauren Laverne now has one too) which I have been playing with all afternoon.

As expected, the place was teeming with Lulu Guinness handbags, both real ones – lips, flower baskets, cupcakes – and pretend. Check out all the genius inflatables in the pond, alas too big (and wet) to steal.








Lulu looked doll-like in her cartoon Giles dress and gave a heartfelt speech about ‘giving back’ to the industry with her London College of Fashion Cordwainers scholarship. Finally, we marvelled at the unveiling of the world’s first fully automated handbag – yes the wee bird moves!