Who can actually believe it’s been 10 years since the iconic fashion retailer opened its doors in Multrees Walk?
I won’t lie – I was gutted all those years ago when they announced that one of my most favourite stores was to open in Edinburgh and not Glasgow, so was the entire west coast fashion mafia! But alas, St. Andrew Square was to be the site for their 65,000 square ‘fashionable’ feet of space over five floors – can you imagine, the excitement was almost too much!
And here we are some ten years later, fired up and ready to party and what a party it was! Hosted by Joseph Wan, Harvey Nichols’ Managing Director and the very jolly Gordon Drummond, Regional Store Director, it was indeed a fashion fairytale – literally. There was no peaking at Prada, for the entire second floor collections had been removed and transformed into a fairytale-themed palace. Those very clever Edinburgh College of Art costume students had created themed outfits that were hung in various areas. We walked from the Mad Hatters bar and then bumped into old pals on the Flamingo Croquet garden. We sipped on Perrier-Jouet Champagne and I even offered a ‘poisoned-apple’ martini to an old rival – sadly she didn’t get the joke.
Fifth floor master chef Stuart Muir had prepared the most amazing buffet but like all these parties, your are simply too embarrassed to stand and repeatedly reach for a second, third or even a fourth Oyster, or a treacle-cured salmon belinis. I drew the line at the mini burgers although I could have quite happily eaten two – but the paranoid in me said people might be watching!
It was quite a feat and a very glamorous crowd, where an abundance of Scottish Fashion Awards alumni mingled and caught up with each other. Haley Bartlett another lovely model, fresh from Los Angeles, was chatting to Mr Harris Tweed Hebrides himself Mark Hogarth. William Chambers (milliner) had a pop up boutique in the corner of the room where he made a hat for the über talented designer Holly Fulton. There was much hilarity when people thought Holly and Tallia Storm had brought along their little puppies…but no they were just both carrying Holly’s Mongolian sheepskin tote – snap!
I caught up with the group fashion goddess, the newly appointed Fashion Director for Harvey Nichols, Paula Reed, looking regal in Jonathan Saunders. Jonathan was on his usual fine form and looking very tanned. He assured me it was from a recent holiday and not out of the bottle!
Catriona Shearer had clearly pulled a sicky from reading the BBC Scotland news that night as she was there looking on trend wearing gold sequins and my model pal, the statuesque Anna Freemantle, was magnificent although I fear her breast might have popped out of her top on several occasions. But quite frankly when you look like Anna, it really doesn’t matter.
We could have stayed on much longer but the thought of the school run and drive back to Glasgow beckoned so we said our goodbyes and thank-you’s and headed back along the M8 to the ‘bright side’ (sorry couldn’t resist).
As hubby drove, we all agreed that visiting Harvey Nic's almost feels like you are visiting London. They seem to get it just right. They’ve brought so many luxury brands and labels to Scotland over the years and really did cement the luxury revolution that confirms our place on the global fashion map. Yip I concede, Edinburgh is just perfect for Harvey Nics and who can ever resist a spot of lunch on the fifth floor with some fine retail therapy! Hooray for Harvey!
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