MATTHEW WILLIAMSON's A-list lifestyle is fuelled not only by his ability to create seriously cool party dresses, but also by a penchant for making friends in the right places. To celebrate the launch of his London flagship, which opened last month on the increasingly cool Bruton Street (already home to Stella McCartney), he is inviting his best fashion pals to see Kelis performing live at a private gig. "I first heard her album at Jade Jagger's house and decided I just had to meet her," he says. "Eventually I bumped into her at a party and introduced myself and it turned into a sort of mutual admiration club." So what will Kelis, who has been wearing Williamson for years, sing at the launch party? "Nobody will forgive me if I don't ask her to sing the Milkshake song," he goes on. "Even though she's sick of it by now." In return for Kelis' exclusive performance, for which she is flying in to London especially, Williamson is busy working with her on plans for her wedding dress. Schedule permitting, she will make it up the aisle to marry rap star Nasir Jones (aka Nas) in the summer, and if Williamson has anything to do with it, she'll look stunning – with a touch of her characteristic eccentricity thrown in. "At first she told me she wanted to look like a bunch of grapes," he says, somewhat bemused. "So we're creating a dress the exact colour of a green grape. Kelis is incredibly stylish and very, very cool, so she's going to look gorgeous." (April 14 2004, AM)
17-04-2004
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