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The Secret To Hosting A Party For The Ages, According To Jackie Kennedy & Wallis Simpson’s Preferred Party Planner Elsa Maxwell | British Vogue

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In its August 1930 issue, Vogue introduced “Miss Elsa Maxwell” as “one of the world’s most brilliant party-givers”, adding delightedly that “her mystery dinner party was a sensation of the London season”. Indeed, Maxwell, who counted everyone from Cole Porter to Maria Callas as a friend, had taken over Lady Ribblesdale’s townhouse, staged a “murder”, then hired actors to play detectives fixated on determining who was responsible – scandalising and delighting the British upper crust in equal measure. Over the course of her career, the Iowa native invented the concept of the scavenger hunt, was described as “the eighth wonder of the world” by George Bernard Shaw, and made theme events de rigueur. Take her “come as you are” soirées, which saw invitations delivered at strange hours of the day or night, instructing guests to attend the party in exactly what they were wearing in that moment – complete with smears of shaving cream and hair curlers in some cases. Ahead of New Year’s Eve, revis

Save this story Save this story In its August 1930 issue, Vogue introduced “Miss Elsa Maxwell” as “one of the world’s most brilliant party-givers”, adding delightedly that “her mystery dinner party was a sensation of the London season”. Indeed, Maxwell, who counted everyone from Cole Porter to Maria Callas as a friend, had taken over Lady Ribblesdale’s townhouse, staged a “murder”, then hired actors to play detectives fixated on determining who was responsible – scandalising and delighting the British upper crust in equal measure. Over the course of her career, the Iowa native invented the con

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