Boo! London’s party set has been out since Thursday night hopping between spooky bashes to celebrate Halloween 2022 in typically no holds barred style.
Proceedings kicked off with decadence at Brunswick House in Vauxhall, which M·A·C Cosmetics transformed into a vast haunted mansion on Thursday night.
A crowd of nearly 300 entered into a plastic sheet-covered ballroom dotted with surgeon tables and fortune tellers for a event which seems set to become an annual affair.
It saw some of the best makeup looks of the week, with MUAs and Drag Queens turning out in full force. Kim Kardashian’s heartthrob hair stylist Chris Appleton was dapper in his black tie and zombie-skeleton face paint, while RuPaul’s Drag Race UK contestants A’Whora and Black Peppa were stars of the show wearing a lace catsuit and corset and fuzzy bunny ears and bra respectively.
Writer Raven Smith kept it simple in a skeleton onesie, while Drew Elliott, the former Chief Creative Officer at Paper Magazine and current Global Creative Director at M·A·C, channelled Beetlejuice with green locks and a pinstripe blazer. “I’ve always admired London’s expressive and unique style,” Elliott said. “It makes it the perfect location for this M·A·C moment.”
The most committed outfits came the following night at presenter Maya Jama’s now infamous annual Halloween bash in Hackney, once again sponsored by Bacardi rum.
Woman of the hour Jama ditched her usual polished look for flaky prosthetics, fake breasts and a walking stick. She described her costume as “Bad Grandma” on Instagram, and finished off the look with a matching grey wig and cardigan, wide specs and a pink floral nightie.
Jama was announced as the successor to Laura Whitmore as Love Island’s next host this month, so it was no surprise to see familiar contestant’s faces in the crowd. From 2022’s cast, Antigoni Buxton sported a red latex bodysuit as a sexy devil, while Danica Taylor followed the same memo in a skimpy copper bodysuit and angel wings.
Comedian Munya Chawawa was most frightening though, as he posed as controversial internet personality and former Big Brother contestant Andrew Tate, whose sexist TikToks have been slammed in recent months. He posed in a cardboard cut-out sports car complete with a front number plate reading MI5OGYNI5T, and the back which said C4NC3LL3D.
In Mayfair, Berkeley Square was lit up by member’s club Annabel’s typically extravagant façade on Friday night. This year, the theme was Alien Invasion and the townhouse was almost unrecognisable, done up as crashed spacecraft.
Actors posing as monsters, robots and a host of freaky extra-terrestrial types ran riot amongst the partygoers which counted trainspotter Francis Bourgeois and Pistol actors Louis Partridge and Anson Boon.
Singer Ella Eyre looked the part as a space cowgirl, pairing a diamanté fringe cowboy hat with a crystal net dress and sheer black opera gloves, while sculptural fashion designer Jack Irving sported one of his own vast, blow-up spike creations.
And on Friday at The Standard Hotel, Kings Cross, make-up guru Isamaya Ffrench helped host a Night Riders from Hell Halloween party which saw the city’s It-girls unite in an array of leather and lace.
Dua’s sister Rina Lipa played the punk as she posed on a sparkling silver motorbike wearing a leather mini and bulky, knee high New Rock boots. Also in attendance was boutique owner Annie Doble, who looked witchy in a black velvet cape and thigh high, PVC heels, and Tigerlily Taylor, daughter of Queen drummer Roger Taylor, who opted for sporty spook in high waist Adidas shorts, platforms and fingerless biker gloves.
