Elle's Fitflop Sale angels

You could tell it was fashion week because at 8 o'clock, when the assembled guests eventually located their place cards and sat down - as we thought, to dinner - instead of a plate, there was what looked like an embroidered shoe-bag (containing, in fact, a hair towel) at each place setting. Welcome to Planet Style. Fitflop Sale

"Hello, Beautiful People! Greetings from the Land of Plain," began comedian Graham Norton. Now, everyone knows that most so-called Celebrity Parties boast no one more glamorous than a few z-list models, someone from Hollyoaks and Beverley Bloom. But on Tuesday night, the 1999 Elle Style Awards could boast a hefty proportion of London's fully paid-up Beautiful People - OK, so Becks and Posh didn't show, and Kate and Naomi sent their apologies as they were modelling in Robert Cary-Williams' show over in South Kensington, but Yasmin le Bon and Martin Kemp, Sara Cox and Nick Moran, Joe Fiennes and Stella McCartney all turned up to get the flashbulbs popping.

By the time Norton came on stage to compere the ceremony, however, the unofficial award-giving among the guests was already in full swing. In 45 minutes of champagne-fuelled mingling on the second floor of Home, the brand new Leicester Square superclub where the event took place, a consensus seemed to have emerged that Best Outfit was a close call between Natalie Appleton of All Saints, in backless corset top, Dolce & Gabbana cummerbund and low-slung jeans, and Stella McCartney in a 70s rock chick Kiss jacket from "a market". She wouldn't tell me which one, though she did let me feel it when I didn't believe it was made of paper. "You Fitflop Fiorella Womens see!" she cried. "And we thought Hussein Chalayan did it first!"

Early doors, Most Head Over Heels Couple looked like being handed on a plate, had there been one, to the permanently hand-holding Jamie Oliver and fiancée. As the evening wore on, however, both Davina McCall and Erin O'Connor made bids to steal their thunder, launching into graphic public displays of affection with their respective beaux.

For the Most Desperate To Get Picture In Papers award, on the other hand, there was only ever going to be one winner. Luciana Morad, the Brazilian mother of Mick Jagger's youngest, flirted full-volume with any and all photographers in the vicinity, while her escort, an ageing rocker Iggy Pop lookalike (some girls never learn), sipped a bottle of mineral water and stared into the distance.

Even once the official ceremony began, the unofficial judging continued. As soon as Jamie Theakston joined presenter Jodie Kidd on stage to pick up his Most Stylish Male Presenter trophy, it was clear that if they ever got together, all other pretenders to the Lankiest Couple prize would have to give up at once. Most Insensitive Choice Of Music award went to whoever chose to play Robbie's Millennium as his ex, Nicole Appleton, climbed on- stage with fellow band members to collect the Most Stylish Look award, sponsored by Wella.

While Jo Whiley, in slouchy trousers and vest, flew the flag for laid-back cool, for most this was a dressed-up event. To prove the Beautiful People even have beautiful backs, there were backless numbers everywhere