Joanne Black & Tom Hooper

Check out other pics from the party http://www.vogue.com/parties/charles-finch-dinner/

Location: Sake no hana, London
Joanne Black style: Alaia dress, Chanel pearls and bag, and shoes by Stella McCartney

Charles Finch knows how to throw an exceptional party – with an exceptional guest list. So it comes as no surprise that, even on a cold October night, he managed to pull in a star-studded crowd with the lure of sake, Japanese food and a celebration of the arts and film.

With everyone from Director Tom Hooper to Sir Peter Hall sitting down to dinner, there was plenty of style spotting to keep me entertained. Mr Hooper – who is currently caught up in the media frenzy surrounding his latest film The King’s Speech – looked effortlessly cool wearing an open-necked white shirt and grey blazer over black jeans. Actor Geoffrey Rush from the film showed us how to look both warm and stylish with his checked scarf and Sir Peter Hall brought a hint of elegance to proceedings with his grey suit and dogtooth scarf. In the style stakes, however, Charles Finch was not to be beaten – with his beautiful blue velvet suit, he certainly made a lasting impression.

On the female side, Lillian von Stauffenberg gets my vote for the best-dressed woman. She braved the cold wearing ¾ length trousers and great sliver slingback heels with a simple v-neck black top, sleeveless fur gilet and long sliver chain. Amanda Eliasch also looked trendy and cool, sporting a great black bag with blue crystals and Hayley Atwell, star of the upcoming film Captain America, pulled off head-to-toe Louis Vuitton.

Sat next to charming actor Max Brown – who is currently on our screens playing Dimitri Levendis in Spooks – in view of so many well-styled and stylish outfits, this was an evening I certainly won’t forget in a hurry.

Mira Anafina and Joanne Black

Location: Les Ambassadeurs Club, London
Joanne Black style: Azzaro black feathered dress, Damiani diamonds

The opulent Les Ambassadeurs Club was a fitting location for this dazzling display of diamonds from luxury jewellery house Damiani.

Hosted by Mira Anafina – who looked fantastic in a silk YSL dress – the evening started with Krug Champagne and the opportunity to admire the latest diamond collection on statuesque models. A fabulous Italian-style dinner followed – with truffles from Alba washed down with delicious Puligny Montrachet wine.

With a guest list that included some of the most powerful and beautiful ladies of Kazakhstan – including the President’s daughter – it wasn’t just the diamonds I was here to admire. I ended up being immersed in the world of art, however, with director Mike Figgis and his beautiful and talented girlfriend Rosey Chan on my table. Rosey entertained us all with her amazing piano skills, and Mike with his cinematic images of NYC.

Dazzled by the talent on show, I had little time to soak up the style scene. Mention has to be made, however, of Giorgio Damiani, who did a superb job flying the flag for Italian fashion.

Chery Cole @ her Promise Ring launch party

Where: Nobu, Park Lane
Joanne Black style: Azzaro dress, YSL heels, Sergio Rossi clutch and Stephen Webster earrings

As president, owner and founder of de Grisogono, Fawaz Gruosi certainly knows how to throw a party – as I discovered at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year. So, when the opportunity came up to appear at the launch of Cheryl Cole’s Promise collection – of beautiful rose gold and blackened silver rings to be worn on the little finger – I just had to take it.

Cheryl Cole and Fawaz Gruosi © Richard Young

With everyone from Louis Walsh and Diana Vickers to Kimberley Walsh and Nicola Roberts on the guest list, you could be forgiven for thinking you’d walked into an X Factor after-party. Of course, Cheryl was the star of the show, dazzling guests with her stunning, short, sequined nude and gold Elie  Saab dress, which complemented her petite frame and skin tone perfectly. But, one my of personal highlights was chatting to the X Factor’s Irish judge.  I reminded Louis that we once judged a Miss Ireland competition together and he asked whether I’d ever considered singing! Let’s just say, I’ll don’t think you’ll be seeing me at next year’s auditions.

Sipping lychee and passion fruit martinis, I was able to soak up the rest of the style on show. Socialite Tamara Beckwith stepped out in a great dress with cream and black details on the front, which she wore with some very sexy tights. Girls Aloud’s Kimberley and Nicola both opted for fab short black dresses. But the stand out look of the night (after Cheryl) was Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine, who was wearing a short white crocheted vintage dress and looked every inch the rock star.

Joanne Black @ the Serpentine Pavilion Party - © Frederic Aranda

Where: Hyde Park, London

Joanne Black Style: Short Alexander Wang 40s-style dress, Stephen Webster White Earrings, blue and yellowy gold short Osman jacket, white YSL heels and a Prada handbag

Set against the glorious Hyde Park, Jean Nouvel’s red and black steel Pavilion – complete with dance floor, bar and table tennis tables – was the perfect location for a what has to be one of my favourite parties of all time.

The fact the sun shined long into the evening meant this was a real summer party – with superb style on show at every turn. Nicky Haslam gets my vote for coolest look of the night. His fantastic turquoise suit was a real statement piece and his spruce green T-shirt, black belt, beads and boots were a great combination.

When I think back to the stand-out fashion, Nicky was in good company. Stephen and Anastasia Webster looked great together – him in a cool grey double-breasted jacket with a blue pinstripe running through it and her in a stunning white halterneck dress with what looked like roosters in circles scattered across it. John Rocha and his daughter Simone looked effortlessly cool. Simone wore a short black blazer, white shirt and clogs and John accessorised his suit with trainers. Jared Leto added a funky edge to proceedings with a black and white jacket, bleached blond spiked hair and trousers with interesting detail down the side. And David Bailey showed us just what a legend he is with a denim jacket with brown leather collar, colourful white and green Hawaiian-style shirt and beige hat with the word ‘fashion’ written across it.

Mention also has to be made of those lovely ladies: Lily Cole, Alice Temperley and Bianca Jagger. Lily stepped out in a warm purple Temperley dress with gold detail around the bust, Alice looked striking in a cerise pink outfit, with a white hat and silver clutch, and Bianca Jagger gave her black taffeta-style dress and short jacket some real sparkle with an pair of emerald green earrings.

If I had to choose one highlight, however, it would be the surprise performance by Dizzee Rascal who wowed us all with his musical talents – and sharp style as he opted for a grey suit, white shirt and amazing shades for his turn in the spotlight.

Hanna Folkesson with her Paul McCartney Plectrum & Joanne Black

Where: Battersea Power Station
Joanne Black Style: Short Peter Pilotto dress in purple with rust and green running through it, with Nicholas Kirkwood ankle boots

Power stations aren’t usually associated with lavish parties and tuxedos, but then Battersea Power Station is no ordinary power station. This cool venue was home to host Kevin Spacey, the great and the good of the theatrical world and the legendary Paul McCartney for one night only. And what a night it was…

Nights on the party circuit are typically spent admiring well-styled women and their fabulous outfits. But it was the men who shone through at this star-studded spectacular. Ronnie Corbett looked so cool in a fab electric blue velvet jacket with a black lapel. Evgeny Lebedev wore a great black and white tux-style jacket and trousers with a white stripe down the side. Mark Ronson also opted for a tux-style suit (which became the look of the night together with an open shirt and no bow tie). And Jeremy Irons looked effortless in brown leather biker boots, beige jeans, a navy jacket and cool aviator shades.

The men also gave us the stand-out performances of the night. Kevin Spacey delivered a hilarious speech (that man should be a politician) and Paul McCartney had the celeb world falling at his fee, belting out tunes such as The Long and Winding Road and Hey Jude, which he dedicated to Dame Judi – who was at the party with her daughter.

The Old Vic 192 Fundraiser – organised to raise money for the theatre trust and support Meat Free Monday – was a night full of surprises. From my table, I took part in the art auction and walked away with a fabulous picture by Sam Taylor Wood. And a friend and massive McCartney fan who came with me was handed the singer’s plectrum – and will no doubt be envied for many years to come for securing such an amazing musical memento.