For those of you that love the extravagance and glamour of a signature Wig Party, but hate having to mop that brow under heaps of horsehair, enter the Masquerade Ball. Patrick Cash spoke to chairman Joshua Rafter to find out about the magic behind the mask.
How did you get the idea for Masked Ball in the first place?
Masked Ball is another annual event organised by the same committee that put together the Wig Party. The ball is a more low key version but with the same vibe. The catwalk disappears so there is more room to dance and get on down. People can still come for a great night out, supporting a great cause, just without a full-on costume. We will still be looking out for those who made the extra effort and giving out prizes.
When was the first one? Were you nervous about who would turn up?
Wig Party came to life in the late 90s when a group of friends just wanted to wear a wig and indulge in some high kicking glamour. The early events took place in a private home in Holland Park, and the party grew by word of mouth. By 2004 the party had to come to an end as the house could take no more numbers.
A group of five friends who used to attend decided it was time to take it mainstream, and we formed Five for Fun. From the very first public event we decided to raise money for charity. Across the last five years we have managed to raise over £180,000.
The first Masked Ball was just last year and it took a more of a sexy approach. After its success we pushed for another event, but with a different theme. The Day of the Dead Halloween theme this year will encourage a more macabre vibe.
What is the crowd like at the Masked Ball?
A stunningly eclectic crowd of people who enjoy the colour, quirkiness and glamour; from bankers and popstars to artists and hairdressers. Past events have attracted the likes of Dannii Minogue and Leona Lewis.
For someone who’s never been before, what can they expect from their first visit?
A magical space where people indulge in being who they want to be. A sting of acts and cabaret, a lot of incredible dance music and a big PA.
In regards of the attendees themselves, look out for wardrobe malfunctions! There are always moments of exuberance on the dance floor – the odd high-kick has seen guests hit the deck – never a good look legs in the air and outfit disintegrating across the floor.
Nudity is also not an issue, in fact we encourage it. Funky, hot n sexy is a must! Less clothing, more skin and hide yourself behind the mask!
How do you keep the ideas and visions for the party innovative and fresh?
It’s a difficult task as so many people who come each year love the format. We therefore have to tweak it ever so slightly to ensure we still surprise, but without taking away the parts that people love. The main attraction though is still the people themselves. Additionally the team are an incredible and inventive bunch of people. I can honestly say there is no event like it.
Can you tell us some of the secrets you’ve got up your sleeve for the next one?
We never like to give too much away as half the fun is trying to guess what might be happening, who might be turning up and what madness we might throw into the mix. I can say the massive ‘wave’ will be making an appearance again as people just love dancing underneath a giant sheet of cloth.
The Masked Ball is also a charity event, who are you raising money for and why did you choose them?
We raise money for the National AIDS Trust, which is the UK’s leading charity dedicated to transforming society’s response to HIV. We think they deserve our support and chose them unhesitatingly.
CELEB INDULGENCE!
As part of the Halloween Masked Ball organizers are asking celebrities to hide behind a mask and reveal their secret indulgence. It will then be up to their followers on FB to guess the person with the chance to win tickets to the event! Like ‘The Wig Party’ on Facebook to find out more…
• The Halloween Masked Ball in aid of NAT will be on Sunday 27th October at Café de Paris, 3-4 Coventry Street, W1D 6BL. Tickets are selling faster than ever this year, you can grab yours from wigparty.org
