The return of Chinawhite

What’s the appropriate post-crunch nightclub attire? London’s West End is awash with back-to-business bonus-season club openings, so it seemed right and natural for PLT to pull on studded Oasis leggings, a sequined boob tube (with added inner padding) and G-string for relaunch night for the daddy of them all, Chinawhite. Wrong. The club was heaving with trendy types in PPQ dresses and DM boots. Jo Wood was there (hello again, Jo!) with Leah and Tyrone, as were Chelsy Davy (prettier, less piggy-looking in the flesh) and Jake Chapman. PLT felt cheated. Where were the Page Three girls, the footballers, Calum Best? A leathery fiftysomething in a tight Gianfranco Ferré T-shirt stood on the side looking just as lost as PLT. “I’m so disorientated,” he said. “The old Chinawhite was my home from home. I miss my friends.” We squeezed his arm reassuringly. Yes, the girls were in grey, not white. Yes, Erin O’Connor was rumoured to be on her way over. But overpriced cocktails were still on sale. The bouncers were still asking clubbers to “move on, please”, just as they did back in the good ol’ days. Nothing had really changed. His friends will be back.

Lily saves the rainforest

You will remember PLT’s contretemps with Lily Cole at the Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus after-party. Well, who should we bump into in Kew Gardens? Only Cole herself, having photos taken in some shrubbery to promote Rainforest Rescue. It was clearly hatchet-burying time. How long can you stay estranged when the world is burning? “I’m not perfect, not compared to my wonderful friends,” Cole said, in a conciliatory tone. “We were in M&S the other day and one of them had left her cloth shopping bag at home. I was like, ‘Oh, never mind,’ but she was devastated.” PLT said she knew exactly how Lily’s friend felt. We nodded in unspoken understanding. Friends again.

The look: Alex Box

We swung by a party thrown by photographer Rankin and avant-garde make-up artist Alex Box (1) to launch their book. We were hunting for directional make-up trends. The strong-look award went to a boy club kid by the name of Mika Doll (2), whose black eyebrows and green lipstick sent PLT into spasms of joy. Highly commended, too, was Charlie (3), the star of the book, for not wearing very much at all. Only 17-year-old model Suki (4) didn’t give us any ideas. “I did it on the Tube, that’s why I look such a mess,” she said. Darling, said PLT, that might be what we call “youth”.

Happy returns

Forget Robbie — Rhys Ifans is back! Yes, the jolly Welshman — who, PLT has noted sadly, keeps a distinctly low profile these days — turned up at London’s Sketch for the launch of a range of gorgeous lace dresses Pearl Lowe has designed for Peacocks. Ifans is a great friend of the family — he was Danny Goffey’s best man at his wedding to Lowe a year ago. PLT overheard him being very supportive to Daisy Lowe’s up-and-coming singer friend Holly Miranda, who did a set at the after-party: “All I can say is, that was beautiful.”

How to do Scandi chic Fashion people are obsessing about Acne Paper, the magazine produced by the new kings of northern-European style. PLT would like a copy of the mag, but also one of their flying jackets

Next! A second branch of Prince Harry’s top haunt, Mahiki, is opening in the City. It’s called Kanaloa, and this time, there are tree houses

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