PHOENIX Raises A Glass To Spring-Summer 18 at West London Haunt Laylow

To ring in the summer season and celebrate the launch of The Design Issue for SS18, PHOENIX took over Golborne Road restaurant and club Laylow for a bank holiday party that began in the lunchtime sun and simmered long into the small hours of Saturday’s stormy night.

Three refreshing Stoli cocktails: Stoli Elite Martini (Stoli Elite, Noilly Prat Dry, Olive or Twist); Elderflower Collins (Stoli Elite, St Germain, Lemon, Soda) and a Vodka Buck (Stoli Elite, Martini Bianco, Lime, Ginger Ale) served on the sun-splashed roof terrace kicked off proceedings, followed by a delicious three course lunch in the mid-century modern setting of the beautifully appointed apartment below. Highlights of the share-style starters were the fresh and vibrant tuna ceviche with tamarind and juicy chunks of watermelon, and the creamiest ball of burrata nestling on a verdant, spring-like bed of peas and mint. For mains, guests enjoyed blush pink shavings of roast onglet steak with lashings of chimichurri, tender pan-crisped halibut with fennel and roasted courgettes dressed with tempura flowers and oregano.

Press, fashion and music industry figureheads and VIPs danced to the sounds of a stellar line up of DJs in the lounge, including house beats and disco jams from Linn-Kristen Goldsmith, and veterans of Oxford club night Simple Em Williams and Stav who had to dash back to play Common People festival the next day. Later in the evening, the party relocated to Laylow’s plush basement club, where legendary radio presenter and disc jockey Gary Davies (now back hosting Sounds of the Eighties on BBC Radio 2 10pm – midnight every Friday) kicked things up a notch with an underground deep house set, while the late night bangers were provided by Field Maneuvers regular and house and techno aficionado Joel Kane, playing a vinyl only set back-to-back with Mikey Palmer.

Gary Davies

Joel Kane