A Guide to the New Party

Held after a book launch usually, or after the readings, lit after parties are usually thrown by another writer, and often, the writer whose launch it is.

WHO YOU CAN EXPECT

Almost everyone who was there at the launch and all the other writers. A select handful of publishing people and journalists may also be spotted8212;but purely on an unofficial level.

WHAT YOU8217;RE LIKELY TO HEAR

Analmost literary dissection of the event, from food to dance. But when drink one rapidly moves on to drink four, literary dis-course more or less flies out of the window, unless it8217;s people-swapping stories. But whatever the state of intoxication, the literati continues to follow some rules. Networking, for in-stance, is very bad form at these sublime after-events. 8216;8216;It8217;s be-cause they8217;re so intimate,8217;8217; says author Rana Dasgupta, 8216;8216;peo-ple find it indecent to network.8217;8217;

WHAT YOU8217;RE LIKELY TO SEE

Sometimes, there are heavy flirtations, and obviously much wit and repartee thrown about. But nothing that will be talked about the next day.

AN INSIDER8217;S VIEW

8216;8216;After parties, which are generally thrown after somber events that call for a heightened and prolonged viewing or hearing experience, are occasions for the audience and the artist to in-teract in a more relaxed setting,8217;8217; says editor, Random House, Shakti Bhatt, a frequent guest at these events.

THIS SEASON8217;S BEST SO FAR

The lit season has only just begun, but an insider tells us that the party after Delhi-based poet Jeet Thayil8217;s reading, at his residence, was the most enjoyable. Music and drinks flowed and the guests lingered till close to 5 in the morning.

FASHION PARTIES

Regular fashion parties are usually very well attended, and very well covered in the next day8217;s news. Designers are used to being in the public eye, but every now and then, they like to do something private.

WHO YOU CAN EXPECT

Designers, of course. Usually the younger lot, but estab-lished designers also put in an appearance. Models take a break from looking pouty lipped and sultry faced and relax, often, in the arms, or even laps, of their favourite designers this is purely platonic, as even a passing acquaintance with the fashion world will tell you about the sexual orientation of most designers. Professional socialites make an appear-ance as well.

WHAT YOU8217;RE LIKELY TO HEAR

Gossip, lots of it. Sometimes, cat fights provide im-promptu entertainment. Being on a party high takes on a whole new meaning at these gatherings.

WHAT YOU8217;RE LIKELY TO SEE

Stick around at a fashion after party for about a couple of hours, and when the intoxication becomes apparent, var-ious items begin to get discarded, beginning with the Choos and Manolos being kicked off, followed by the other items of layering an effort that took a good part of the evening to pull off . The only thing that stays firmly in place is the attitude. And lots of it.

AN INSIDER8217;S VIEW

8216;8216;Image is everything,8217;8217; says stylist Edward Lalrempuia. 8220;How you portray yourself, what you wear and so on is important. It8217;s also the best place to network.8217;8217;

THIS SEASON8217;S BEST SO FAR

At the India Fashion Week grand finale last year, models and designers danced on the runway, with the music turned on loud. Since the Fashion Week hasn8217;t begun yet, it8217;s hard to pin-point the best fashion after party. The recent Valentino launch in Delhi rates a honourable mention though.

ART PARTIES

Ah, intimate art gatherings. They have been around for donkey8217;s years. Nowadays, art parties may be a little more sophis-ticated, depending on where they8217;re at, but the wine is still plentiful, as are the little trays of canapeacute;s.

WHO YOU CAN EXPECT

Since a lot of art shows these days happen from between seven to nine, regulars at art parties know the party won8217;t be-gin till 9 pm.You can expect just about anyone at an art after, from expats to embassy types, senior art critics, collectors, so-cial people and obviously, lots of artists.

WHAT YOU8217;RE LIKELY TO HEAR

Muted conversation. Art parties are the most civilised of the set, though, these things are fairly relative. They begin with conversations about the show in question, moving on to dis-cussions on various art auctions and who got the biggest 8216;8216;steal8217;8217;. Networking? No longer necessary, because the indus-try8217;s already very aware of who8217;s good and who just isn8217;t.

WHAT YOU8217;RE LIKELY TO SEE

Well, that depends. Younger artists like to have a party after their exhibitions, when the music is cranked up a little bit and people take to the dance floor. At other times, there are just people sitting, chatting animatedly. No one, says an art party insider, gets very drunk, since most of these soirees wrap up by midnight.

AN INSIDER8217;S VIEW

8216;8216;Earlier, art shows were like people looking at art in mourn-ing, 8217;8217; says Rohit Gandhi, who owns Delhi-based Palette art gallery and is also reputed to throw the best after parties in the Capital. 8216;8216;It8217;s nice that people can enjoy the show now, there8217;s very loungey music and everyone has a good time,8217;8217; he adds.

THIS SEASON8217;S BEST SO FAR

Gandhi vouches for Kolkata-based Jogen Chaudhary8217;s recent show in Delhi with an excellent turn-out.

HOW TO GET INVITED

Perhaps the most important part is getting an invite to one of these parties. Of course, you could always write a book, put on an art exhibition, design a new line of clothes or even make a movie.

But if that seems like too much work, begin by scan-ning your newspaper listings for the events that seem the glitziest. Some events are invite-only, and for those, begin by cultivating your nearest journalist or media person. Take them out to dinner. When they say, 8216;8216;I owe you one8217;8217;, take them up on that.

Once you8217;ve procured your invite, plan your wardrobe. Hang around at the event, looking orna-mental, and make conversation wherever you can.

If possible, look for a face you know vaguely, and latch on to them all evening. If you don8217;t know any-one, light cigarettes, and offer some of your own when other people run out. But don8217;t be sub-servient. It helps if you8217;re young and attractive, but if you have neither of these skills, settle for looking deep and mysterious.

Don8217;t ask too obviously about what everyone8217;s doing later. Try and glean information from whoever you8217;re chatting to, by dropping vague hints. In the end, the best way to get invited to an after party is simply to throw one yourself. Good luck, and happy climbing.