LONDON, United Kingdom — Last night, The London Edition hotel became something of a hub for the global fashion flock, as friends of BoF congregated to celebrate the forthcoming launch of the second annual #BoF500, hosted by BoF founder and editor-in-chief Imran Amed.
Blue-chip business titans and daring young designers mixed with top models, fashion-tech entrepreneurs and talented creatives — from Tom Ford chairman Domenico De Sole to Lev Tanju of Palace Skateboards — representing a cross-section of the #BoF500, hailing from more than 20 countries.
As part of the launch, BoF also unveiled the cover of its latest special print edition, ‘Polymaths & Multitaskers,’ featuring an eight-armed, Vishnu-inspired Karl Lagerfeld, created by Maurizio Cattelan and Pierpaolo Ferrari of Toiletpaper, which appeared at the event as part of a larger-than-life digital installation.
The evening began with drinks and an intimate family-style dinner at Jason Atherton’s Berners Tavern, where magician Dynamo charmed attendees, including Elizabeth Saltzman and Natalie Massenet, with astonishing card tricks. Alexa Chung stuck close to friend Henry Holland, who was just one of the many young London designers at the event. Jonathan Anderson, Mary Katrantzou and Christopher Kane, who presented their most recent collections at London Fashion Week just days earlier, were also in attendance. Makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury had come straight from the Tom Ford show, held just hours before, where she helped create the sultry kohl-lined eyes seen on the runway, while an exhausted Charlotte Dellal, who planned to come for 10 minutes, instead stayed for several hours.
Alexa Chung and Alexia Niedzielski | Photo: David M Benett
Indeed, many of the guests were in the midst of a gruelling month-long circuit of the world’s four main fashion capitals for the Spring/Summer 2015 womenswear shows. Vogue China editor Angelica Cheung still had to squeeze in another trip back to China between Milan and Paris. But excitement levels ran high as guests, including Suzy Menkes, Tim Blanks, Karla Otto, Ellen von Unwerth, Federico Marchetti, Nadja Swarovski, Gildo Zegna, Alexandre de Betak and Pierre-Yves Roussel filled Berners Tavern with an upbeat and communal energy.
Jonathan Saunders, Erdem Moralioglu and Christopher Kane | Photo: David M Benett
East London drag collective Sink the Pink kicked off the post-dinner festivities with a live voguing show, before partygoers filled the hotel’s basement for a performance by English band Years & Years. The second annual #BoF500, a professional index of the people shaping the global fashion industry, will launch on 22 September, along with BoF's ‘Polymaths & Multitaskers' special print edition, featuring Karl Lagerfeld, Tim Blanks, Mario Testino, Caroline Issa, Maurizio Cattelan and Pierpaolo Ferrari of Toiletpaper and Nike chief executive Mark Parker, amongst others. Pre-order your special print issue now at shop.businessoffashion.com.
