Amidst the townhouses of London, silent sentinels of elegance, the holiday season descends with a hushed charm.
On this magical night, the sound of Christmas Carollers fill a ballroom as three characters: Miss Uncovered, Lady Humblepretence and CEO Defriendinator, each dressed to the nines (though it must be said, some better than others) with their own tales of woe; are visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future (in the form of a waiter, a curator and a model/influencer).
So gather around, dear readers, as holiday magic is found in whispers and transformations unfold like the petals of a Winter rose.
“Darling!” Lady Humblepretence shrieks as she descends the third charity gala she’s attended in the last month. Lady Humblepretence loves supporting charities because she gets to go to all of their events for free and meet people she otherwise wouldn’t; boasting her new-found wealth under the guise of humility.
In the corner, amidst the delicate clinking of champagne glasses and soft hum of conversation, Miss Uncovered’s eyes, filled with unattainable stars, search earnestly for an escape route as she dashes to the next room. ‘God, I hope she hasn’t seen me.’ Beneath Miss Uncovered’s stunning (understated) and perfectly styled exterior, frustration simmers. She was always the Belle of the Ball but she’s now neither relevant nor revered in the pages of magazines.
Lady Humblepretence meanwhile, adorned in a gown that seems to defy gravity with the very opulence of its layers (but is of course Vintage so she can say she’s 'passionate about sustainability') stumbles, fortuitously, upon major fashion CEO Defriendinator.
“Darling!” She reaches out a gloved hand (yes she’s wearing opera gloves to a cocktail party); CEO Defriendinator peers cautiously at it as though covered in slime. “So lovely to see you again!” They’ve never met. “Have you seen Miss Uncovered here?” Lady Humblepretence, name-dropping, expounds a laugh that travels so far across the room it may as well be Operatic.
CEO Defriendinator flinches only slightly, “I haven’t seen Miss Uncovered in years.” Wasn’t she that girl who used to do shoots with them? The last CEO Defriendinator heard she was trying to start her own brand. She only has some ten thousand followers on Instagram; hardly relevant.
The formidable ruler of a major fashion empire, CEO Defriendinator surveys the gala with an iron-willed agenda. In her world, friendships are as fleeting as the twinkle of holiday lights and social standing interchangeable as this season’s must-have accessory. But of course women supporting women etc #bekind.
The ballroom vibes with the orchestrated charm of the season but, beneath the surface, our characters carry the weight of their own narratives. Gather around, dear readers, as the gala provides the backdrop to their impending transformation.
In her escape for solitude (but mostly not to run into certain people), Miss Uncovered chances upon Sebastian Winslow; who’s exhibiting his beautiful fashion tapestries tonight. “Miss Uncovered, such a pleasure to see you again!” Sebastian says, offering a warm smile. “Allow me to express my gratitude for gracing my boutique with your presence. Your appreciation of bespoke creations is a rarity in these halls,” Sebastian remarks with a twinkle in his eye.
“The pleasure is mine, Sebastian,” Miss Uncovered gratefully returns his much needed kind words, “your designs are truly enchanting".
As she silently wills Sebastian to propose a collaboration for his next campaign (or you know, just propose - she’s not fussy at this stage and he is quite cute), she notices a peculiar feeling wash over her as she becomes entranced by one of his designs.
Back in the main hall, just as Lady Humblepretence is munching on her 100th canapé of the night washed down of course with (what she assumes is) good champagne (the trick is to always ask the server to fill your glass up to the very tippity-top even if it’s not empty!), she savours a moment of introspection herself. The grandeur around her suddenly begins to blur; she finds herself standing alone save for the server in front of her carrying a (now empty) tray.
“Lady Humblepretence, you tread a delicate line between ambition and authenticity,” the waiter (who is also an actor and has starred in several notable TV commercials) remarks, “the time has come to confront the shadows of your own making”.
Well this is a bit intense. Lady Humblepretence looks around wondering where everyone has gone. She didn’t get to show CEO Defriendinator a photo of her daughter who’s just signed to an -unknown- modelling agency! Hang on, is this one of those art piece performances? And they’ve chosen her as the subject?! She knew she hit it off with that gallery owner she met last month! She wipes her hand with a tissue and composes herself; after all, this is probably being photographed!
With the echo of the Christmas carollers singing to the gentle melody of the grand piano, Miss Uncovered’s quest to be Sebastian’s muse (or more) is not entirely unwarranted. She loves his designs… “Miss Uncovered,” Sebastian begins. This is it!
“Yes, Sebastian?” She tries to appear unassuming.
“Do you believe in the magic of Christmas?”
Um?!
“Sometimes the holiday spirit has a way of revealing truths we’ve hidden, even from ourselves," he continues unfazed by Miss Uncovered's facial expression (she was never good at masking her genuine feelings and isn't a fan of botox #restingbitchface), "your dreams are as boundless as the starlit sky. Yet, within the glittering realm you navigate, what of the price of your aspirations? Is thinking about your past success and where you think you should be now contributing to your happiness in the present?”
CEO Defriendinator meanwhile has escaped that Godawful woman (who she’ll regardless probably befriend later as an addition to her entourage to pay her compliments on a night out - she is lonely after all) and is standing with model/influencer of the moment, Jackie Sellier. Suddenly, she feels the floor shake beneath her Manolos. An Earthquake?
Jackie’s eyes suddenly seem to take on a more earnest awareness as the rest of the party fades from view. What is happening? “CEO Defriendinator, your empire rises but are you truly sure of the foundation on which it stands? The threads of connection unravel, will leave you in splendid isolation.”
Gather around, dear readers, as the ghosts of Belgravia (Chelsea, Knightsbridge, Mayfair, St John's Wood, Hampstead and we should probably include Parsons Green, Barnes and Battersea too) in the form of a waiter, curator and model/influencer -
*Story Breaks for a small unwarranted interruption *
"Excuse me Girl in Style?" The character of 'Waiter' taps Girl in Style on the shoulder.
"Yes?" Girl in Style, takes her glasses off and looks up from her notes; slightly annoyed at her narrative being interrupted.
"Sorry to interrupt the story. It's just you keep referring to me as 'Waiter'. And as you know, I'm also an actorrr," he emphasises.
"Oh. Well, but I did mention your notable TV commercials just before, "Girl in Style searches her notes, "hospitality is such a grand craft you see and you're quite a crucial character if you'd just let me go on - it's Christmas and time is running out!"
"Well yes it is but acting is such a very important vocation of mine too (despite the fact that I've worked at The Ritz on Picadilly!) and I'd like it if that would be further included as you have made note that 'model' is also an influencer..."
"Ok so waiter/actor?" Girl in Style, exasperated, takes notes.
"Yes indeed!" Water/Actor expounds proudly.
"Fine. I'll add it in. May I go on with the story now?" Girl in Style puts glasses back on.
"Yes, yes, sorry - do go on!"
Gather around dear readers as the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future in the form of (lowers narrative voice) a waiter/actor, curator and model/influencer intertwine with festive notes and our ensemble face the poignant melodies of transformation.
The waiter/actor standing in front of Lady Humblepretence, lifts up his tray, reflecting back at her sudden flashes; the faces of her old friends. She’d discarded them on her ascent through social hierarchy. She watches as one of her dearest childhood friends lies in a hospital bed, rapidly declining.
Across the room, Sebastian gestures, “look around you, Miss Uncovered,” Miss Uncovered is suddenly blatantly aware of being at a party but quite alone - desperate for how she’s perceived.
Jackie, hand on hip (she’s a ghost but still a model, obviously #posing), takes out her phone, “take a look at this reel!” she hands it to CEO Defriendator who watches herself horrified. A stark vision of her future empire is presented. She’s alone, her business crumbling; with no one to call. “You haven’t posted this yet have you?!” CEO Defriendinator asks desperately.
“No,” Jackie replies. “Not yet, you still have the chance to edit it”.
The echoes of the Christmas Carols reverberate through the ballroom as the transformation of Lady Humblepretence, Miss Uncovered and CEO Defriendinator completes. As the spectres of past, present, and potential futures dissipate (except Sebastian thankfully because Miss Uncovered quite likes him now), a subtle resonance lingers.
Eleanor (Lady Humblepretence) has shed the layers of practiced sophistication (and hopefully, going forward, some of that dress - really, how much organza is appropriate in such a crowded space?). Olivia (Miss Uncovered), liberated from illusory standards, embraces the resilience that defines her journey; the world now a runway for her genuine aspirations unburdened by the weight of unattainable standards (besides, everyone’s face looks the same these days anyway). Victoria (CEO Defriendinator), standing at the crossroads of isolation, reevaluates the foundations of her fashion empire. She decides to call one of the Supers from the 90s and have them star in her next campaign instead because this influencer thing is way too complicated (what was up with that Jackie girl?).
As the gala continues in its splendour, the ensemble now transformed engage in genuine conversation amidst the glittering ambiance. Laughter mingles with festive melody as the ballroom becomes a space where authenticity and aspiration dance in harmony with true Christmas giving.