A Family Affair

Lily Allen is great. She really is truly great. She's funny and fun, and gorgeous and stylish, she has an amazing voice and brilliant stage presence... and? and? I think I'm in love. Yes, I think I fell in love last night - me and the entire second floor of New Look's Marble Arch store.

Lily Loves New Look is a line that she has designed for the high street store. It's got her stamp on it, but it's suitable for many shapes and sizes. Some only the bravest of us would wear, but the majority of the pieces are accessible to all. Much like her music, it would seem.

Lily emerged onto the stage to sing four of her songs for us. The clamour for places in front of the stage was a lot like the ruckus for seats at Christopher Kane's autumn/winter show. Clearly, everyone loved Lily. This appeared to include her father, until I spoke to him. "Mr Allen? How do you feel, seeing your daughter performing on stage?" "Crap," he replied. "That's not my daughter." Undeterred I continued: "Oh, well apparently that girl up there designed those clothes over there, what do you think about that?" "Umm, they look alright? I like that really flowery one (pointing at the strapless, tiered frill number) in a size 12." As he says this I look down at the bulging rucksack that he is smugly patting. He grins. "I already have four in my bag?"

Earlier in the evening I stood admiring the collection. Casually thumbing my way through the fabrics and quietly contemplating which dress I could pull off, I hear a yelp from across the rail. Peering between mounds of chiffon frills I see my fellow fashion assistant's face turn angry and red. Known for her 'say it how it is' approach to life, I clutched a coat hanger in suspense. "Urgh!" Natasha's top had collided with a drink belonging to a young guy in a velour tracksuit top. Oh God. Looking straight at him she explodes: 'This isn't any old top," pulling it from her body as if to give him a closer look. "This was bought at a Chloe sample sale, I can't just get another one." Now the boy's face matches Natasha's in colour. "I am so, so sorry, I really am sorry." Not expecting quite such a polite response she is taken aback and leaves it at that. She grumbles off to take her place in front of the stage.

Three songs in, Lily announces her last track of the evening. It's dedicated to her brother. She raises onto her tiptoes and peers into the crowd. "Alfie, Alfie, where are you, I can't see you." A boy in a velour tracksuit top in front of us starts frantically jumping up and down and waving his arms in the air. Recognising the boy, a smile curls round the corners of my mouth. I look at Natasha. She is peering down at the dark stain that has dried on the front of her top. She looks up at me and catches my eye. She seems to have found Alfie, alright.

Photo taken with a Fujifilm Finepix F31fd