HTSI editor’s letter: to hell with it, let’s party

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I was first introduced to Zaho de Sagazan by Nicolas Ghesquière, the artistic director of women’s collections at Louis Vuitton. He was talking about the artists that he had been following, and she was his current cultural crush. Since then the French singer has become a friend of the fashion house, bedecked in Vuitton, and her career has exploded. She first went viral singing David Bowie’s “Modern Love”, in white socks, for the Cannes grand jury led by Greta Gerwig – a performance of such magnificence it left Gerwig fighting tears. De Sagazan then appeared at the closing ceremony of the Olympics, giving a transcendent rendition of Édith Piaf’s “Sous le Ciel de Paris” that was seen around the world. 

De Sagazan offers a unique blend of classic, pop and electro music, all wrapped up in a raw but ethereal performing style. Her debut album, La Symphonie des Éclairs, which was re-released last month with seven new songs on it, has seen her hailed as the new hope of chanson française. Alice Cavanagh met her in Paris to talk about her strange ascent from quirky adolescent to pop ingénue and fashion star. Her personality is impish, mercurial and very funny, she craves the constant company of other people, and thrives before a crowd. Who better, then, to kick off our celebration issue? She epitomises the modern party girl: elusive, stylish and completely independent-minded. Her music is the ultimate spirit boost, and the best antidote to the current cycle of grim news.

Elsewhere in this issue, we’ve also revived our How To Host It series, which this season is focused on annual traditions and personal rituals. For many chefs, the festive period is one of the busiest: no wonder that the Spiteri clan, who all work in hospitality, enjoy a night off from their kitchen labours to play Perudo and eat a Chinese takeaway. Other hosts look to more traditional comforts: Sally Clarke brought Thanksgiving back to her Kensington restaurant having picked up the habit while working in California. “It seemed to me to be the most wonderful, all-embracing celebration,” she tells Tim Auld about the turkey dinner. “Everybody seemed to be invited, everybody was willing to bring something, and the more I learned about it the more I felt it was an international celebration for every creed, every colour, every age.” 

Likewise, Phyllis Ny tries to recreate the flavours of an African hall party in Tooting. For her, it recalls memories of helping her mother in Ghana as a child. “It’s one of my most vivid childhood memories,” says the 31-year-old nurse-turned-private chef, who now cooks those same beloved dishes for her friends. 

For all of our hosts, the party is a means to hang out with their loved ones. But I’m somewhat relieved to discover that Phyllis still finds hosting something of a stress. I have hosted only one party in my adult life (last month – for what we might term a “significant” birthday), and navigating the hellscape of invitations, RSVPs and no-shows can be a lot more traumatic than it should. Perhaps I should have consulted Alice Lascelles’ etiquette guide to party planning before embarking on my own: it’s apparently not OK, for example, to create a party WhatsApp group. She has spoken to an expert list of planners to work out how to get the best out of the night.

WhatsApp group notwithstanding, my party was a jolly fun one. And though I thought I would pass out with social anxiety before the first guests arrived, the night went off without a hitch. My advice: book a DJ and wear shoes to dance in. There’s nothing like a bop to lift the mood. 

@jellison22