As much as I love the allure of party season, I’m pretty resistant to prescriptive dress codes. Nothing rankles the snotty-nosed fashion rebel in me more than an invitation that calls for black tie, for instance. Still, there’s a thrill to breaking with convention if you can – bonus points! – feel fabulous while doing it. Whenever in doubt, I’ll dust off my vintage Junya Watanabe denim skirt and matching denim tailcoat; paired with sparkly Manolos and major jewels, the Cinderella effect is undeniable. In my book, the trainers-and-party-dress combo that Lily Allen first championed in the mid-2000s – or, better still, Kristen Stewart’s Converse on the red carpet at Cannes — never gets old either. And if there’s one thing I’ve learnt from legendary editor Grace Coddington’s flawless personal style, it’s that, no matter the occasion, you should never sleep on the power of a great silk pyjama set – she famously wore one to the Met Gala.
In the spirit of artfully bending the rules this Christmas, I bring you our big, bold and brilliant December issue. First off, there’s lots of fashion in these pages to push the outer boundaries of your imagination: hand-picked by Julia Sarr-Jamois, British contributing fashion director, and shot by veteran photographer Juergen Teller, the season’s most high-wattage couture looks are taken on a truly delightful and unexpected romp through the kitschy world of Parisian souvenir shops. A fashion editorial for keepsakes, in the truest sense.
Elsewhere in the issue, we cross paths with the formidable Anneliese Midgley, chief whip and Labour MP for Knowsley, also known as one of the “northern queens” who helped pave Andy Burnham’s way to 10 Downing Street. The road that led Midgley to Westminster is anything but straightforward: in a former life, she worked as a music journalist, did publicity for Pulp and ran Britpop nights in Liverpool. More bohemian still were her teenage years: she ran away to Paris aged 17 and lived in a squat. “I think you can tell by my backstory that I’m quite an unusual person,” she tells writer Zing Tsjeng. Their conversation offers a rare and vivid glimpse into an extraordinary behind-the-scenes rise.
Meanwhile, the exceptionally talented Andrew Scott talks to us about playing what might be his most powerful part to date. , which follows the final months of Scottish actor Ian Charleson as he took on his legendary Hamlet at the National Theatre in 1989 while battling Aids, opened at the BFI London Film Festival in October to rave reviews. “The more I act, the more I see it not as pretending to be someone else but as exploring different parts of myself,” says the Irish actor. Scott’s deeply moving portrayal of Charleson already has him hotly tipped as an awards-season frontrunner – absolutely a performance to see when the film is in cinemas here in January.
This month, Daniel Lee also takes the spotlight with his first major British profile in his role as Burberry’s chief creative officer. The famously press-shy and unassuming West Yorkshire-born designer opens up about his life at the helm of Britain’s most storied heritage fashion house, in one of his first magazine interviews in several years. “I enjoy being in the moment and working with instinct, with craft, with my hands – the physicality of that,” he tells Mark holgate. With the likes of Olivia Colman, Skepta, Declan Rice and Romeo Beckham in Burberry’s orbit, it’s clear that Lee is fully plugged in to the exciting new pulse of British style and culture now too.
Lastly, if there’s one Brit who truly captured the zeitgeist this year, buoying the spirit of the nation just when we needed it most, it’s star footballer Jude Bellingham. Over the summer, as the frenzy around the World Cup reached fever pitch and England blazed a trail to the semi-finals, I lost count of the number of messages I received from friends, family and colleagues urging British to please give Bellingham his moment. And I couldn’t be more elated to say that wish has been granted — his first glossy magazine cover ever! — just in time for Christmas. A fellow Midlander, ’s Riann Phillip spoke to the 23-year-old athlete about his phenomenal rise to global stardom and the irrepressible drive that propels him forward. On the day of the cover shoot, Bellingham was on top form and proved to be a natural in front of the camera. With his preferred playlist of golden-oldie Elvis tunes on repeat, he surprised everyone in being something of an old soul too. I couldn’t think of a better note to end the year on.
