a seat at leonine’s dream dinner table
be my guest
december has arrived, the holidays are here, and there is many a dinner party to be thrown. though organizing and planning scratches the ‘type a’ itch wired into my brain, i have yet to host my own holiday soirée. and, much to my dismay, my dream fête is limited to the confines of my imagination.
calia booth of library booth here on substack publishes the loveliest book-inspired newsletters that detail imaginary dinner parties based on novel themes, motifs, and characters. with it being soirée season, i thought it’d be interesting to put my own spin on something like that. only at the leonine dinner table, i’ve found that the majority of my most desired guests are writers, creatives and fashion figures of the past and present—which hardly comes as a surprise.
as i’ve visualized said dinner, i’ve had the most fabulous time lost in a reverie, gossiping over canapés and flutes of champagne at a dreamed-up table with these fine folks. so, i’d like to set the scene—or, the table rather—for you.
the guest list
franca sozzani: i’ve long been an admirer of the late italian fashion journalist, franca sozzani, and will forever remain fascinated by her editor-in-chief era at vogue italia. oh, to pick her brain!
yves saint laurent: as one of my favourite designers of all time, i’d love nothing more than to bring yves to the year 2024 to ask who his current muse would be. and what would a leonine dinner party be without at least one more leo in attendance?
erin parsons: would it be too much if i asked her to bring her favourite vintage makeup finds to pass around the table?
donyale luna: not only would it be an honour to host donyale luna, who is thought to be the “first black supermodel,” but it would be incredibly captivating to hear her speak about her life story and experience as a pioneer in the modelling industry.
andré leon talley: what i wouldn’t give to sit beside andré leon talley at a dinner party </3 after reading his memoir, the chiffon trenches, i just know he’d have the best industry tales to tell the table if he could only come back to life and sit there with us.
edward enninful: like andré, edward would be a dream! i also think a little british humour is needed to encourage lots of laughter.
pat mcgrath: although i can’t deny i’d have thousands of makeup questions to ask dame pat mcgrath, she just seems like the sweetest soul who’d bring the warmest presence to the table.
zoë kravitz: as a sagittarius, i think she’d bring lots of fun to this bunch. i like her vibe!
robert pattinson: i recently stumbled upon this gq interview with robert pattinson from 2020 and it genuinely made me laugh out loud. he’s so odd, that i couldn’t not invite him. it also helps that i am, indeed, a longtime fan.
rihanna: to put it plainly: i love this woman! given both of our caribbean roots, i know rih would be a good time.
the ambiance
an evening with this crew feels like velvet, melted wax, oxblood-coloured curtains, low lights, metallic finishes, and mismatched glasses overflowing with wine and champagne. i’m enchanted by the idea of a saltburn-esque space—hold (most of) the chaos. opulent, yet undone by the end of the night. at this party, as aesthetically arranged as it would be, i’d want the experience itself to feel laidback, conversational and free-flowing.
the menu
given that this crowd has close ties to fashion, i think a classic french menu could be delicious and especially comforting at this time of year. lots of rich dishes and sauces served family style to encourage a more open atmosphere. we’re all friends, in my head! i’m not the biggest drinker, but we’d need wine (red and white) and champagne at the ready for this occasion. for dessert, i’d love to see plates of miniature pastries being brought out in towers.
the dress code
as if any of these attendees would need sartorial advice from me! although, i would love to maintain the traditional feeling of a true holiday gathering—so i would lightly encourage guests to arrive in deep jewel-toned gowns, luxe faux furs, winter whites, silks, and crisp suiting. costume jewellery and over-the-top headpieces would also be much appreciated.
care to join us? who would be your +1 to this party?
x L