Jodie Turner-Smith, Adwoa Aboah, Lily Allen, Chase InfinitiPhoto by: German Larkin
Couture is best served with a side of diamonds. On Tuesday evening, guests took a break to refuel between Spring 2026 Couture season shows, and joined De Beers London to raise a glass to its brand-new jewel-box space on Rue de la Paix—now its largest flagship in the world.
Clients and friends of the house turned up en masse to the 5,000-square-foot space, with glamorous French actresses Isabelle Huppert and Adèle Exarchopoulos—dressed in a men’s jacket from the Lanvin Fall Winter collection by Peter Copping—among them. Ambassador Adwoa Aboah was also in town, as were Chase Infiniti, Jodie Turner-Smith, Shunxi Zeng, and Taraji P. Henson. Taking in the scene, star gallerist Emmanuel Perrotin admired the décor–which incorporated a wall of kimberlite, the host rock for natural diamonds—as well as one-of-a-kind art works on display. “I can picture one of my artists right here,” he quipped of a lone undecorated wall on the second floor.
Emerging from one of the new boutique’s VIP salons–this one decorated in the style of a classic English library, complete with paintings by South African artists on the walls–Lily Allen appeared with a sleek high ponytail. The English singer kept her sartorial statement simple—a glossy black leather trench and sky-scraper heels—to allow her breathtaking necklace and earrings from De Beers London’s latest high jewelry collection, Echo parure, take center stage. “I wasn’t sure what jewels I would be wearing, so I went with an outfit that felt classic,” Allen told Vogue.
As the evening progressed, the party continued on around the corner into the landmark salons of the Hôtel d’Evreux on the Place Vendôme. There, Allen had a quick costume change and returned—sans trench—to greet the crowd in another scene-stealing black ensemble. Still riding high on the phenomenal global success of her latest album West End Girl, the star performed a medley of three songs, Sleepwalking, Tennis, and, of course, the fan-favorite, Pussy Palace, which prompted the audience to sing along.
After she wrapped up, DJs Agathe Mougin and Sydney Lima took over and continued at the decks until well past midnight, keeping the energy high, as did an unexpected performance by pianist Charly Voodoo. “This is what De Beers is all about,” offered new CEO Emmanuelle Nodale. “There’s so much more to the house beyond diamonds—it’s about history, heritage, energy, emotion and— most of all—an element of surprise.”