Divine Decadence!

Well, I've seen some funny things in my time, but tonight I witnessed a scene that was straight from St Trinian's or at least, the Keystone Kops. Actually, there was a serious side to this, but it was still funny nonetheless. I attended a gala night to celebrate my friend Susi Henson's new corset collection. Susi is a fabulous designer and has created corsetry for Leona Lewis, Madonna, The Scissor Sisters AND Girls Aloud, and was launching her new collection tonight at Dogma in Nottingham. BTW, I happen to know the chef there quite well – don't eat the cream of mushroom soup (just kidding). I went along with James, my magician friend, and Greek Adam – he of the famous light sculptures at Nottingham Castle last month. It was a fantastic night of free drinks and canapés and just about everyone in Nottingham turned up to party and to admire the wonderful creations of a certain fin-de-siècle splendour.

But the (not so) amusing incident occurred towards the end of the evening when Susi received a call to say that the premises beneath her fabulous salon had been burgled (or at least, had encountered a break-in). Outraged (justifiably), Susi mustered her troupe – a corseted array of elegant models – and set off in pursuit of the offenders. The sight of a gaggle of stiletto-wearing girls clad in little more than corsets and fishnets, armed with headless half-mannequins (which were bedecked in exotic basques, lace and feathers) rampaging through the streets of Nottingham to do battle with the recidivistic thugs who had dared to break & enter into the hallowed halls of Eternal Spirits (for more information on Eternal Spirits, click here) was a sight to behold, I can tell you. It reminded me of an old film where the outraged protagonists go on a rampage with their pitchforks (can't remember the film – if anyone can, then please let me know). I could just picture the thugs being floored by a corseted dummy as they made their getaway up Hockley Hill, and then begging for mercy as they lay bruised and battered by studs, leather and Plaster-of-Paris on the pavement.

Go, Susi, go!