“No one walks like Naomi,” the Director of the V&A Tristram Hunt bellowed into a microphone to the well plucked and polished masses, all pinned inside the museum’s John Madejski Garden to celebrate the supermodel.
On Wednesday evening, at the museum’s annual summer party, Naomi Campbell was the main event. Her retrospective exhibition opened in conjunction with the do, and such the usually starry bash was on sequined steroids.
There was Kate Moss, in an ivory slip and tuxedo jacket, cuddling up to Daphne Guinness, who committed in a full–mirrored catsuit complete with lashings of sparkling accessories and Avatar-blue eyeshadow. Boxer Anthony Joshua turned out in support, as did actor Jodie Turner-Smith.
The ever-elusive fashion designer Phoebe Philo ducked away from cameras, while Burberry’s creative director Daniel Lee and Alexander McQueen’s former head Sarah Burton both congratulated Campbell. Ex Editor-in-Chief of British Vogue Edward Enninful was later personally thanked by Campbell for his help in curating the show, titled NAOMI: In Fashion.
Elizabeth Hurley, who earlier that day could have been found at Ascot’s Royal Enclosure, swapped out her daytime lace frock for a plunging, printed Roberto Cavalli gown, as she joined her son Damian Hurley at the party. He was a vision in white tailoring, staying obediently by his mother’s side. As for less expected partnerships, Grace Jones took home the prize when she was spotted arm-in-arm with chatty man Alan Carr.
Taking to the stage for a teary speech, Campbell recalled driving past the V&A on the bus on the way to school. “It took me two buses to get from home in South London to far West. I never could have imagined I would be here doing this in front of you all,” she said, wearing a crisp white halter neck gown from BOSS, the exhibition’s headline sponsor, which was styled by Law Roach.
“This exhibition tells my story. I didn’t know how to model when I started — I was a dancer, I went to stage school and I used my theatre arts background to kind of get me through making model poses. I did it with all my commitment, drive, and dedication – I was like, ok, I can’t pose as a model but I’m going to pose as a dancer.” “We love you Naomi,” some members of the audience fired back.
After a DJ set from Honey Dijon, Culture Club performed Karma Chameleon and Boy George reflected on the exhibition, which takes in 40 years of Campbell’s career in fashion. “It was so camp,” he said. “I was there for a lot of it but I was focussed on myself, so it’s amazing to see it all again.”
It was then on to the newly refurbished The Roof Gardens, formerly Kensington Roof Gardens, which is set to reopen as a members club in September after a six-year closure. As for its christening, Campbell storming through in her glittering gold, sequin mini is about as good as it gets.
Inside the Naomi: In Fashion V&A Summer Party
