Angelica Hicks details her approach to hosting and event curation

British artist and illustrator Angelica Hicks details her approach to hosting dinner parties and event curation, outlining a philosophy that relies heavily on structured seating charts and pre-event invitations.

Hicks Launches Illustrated Invitations with Paperless Post

Hicks argues that the hosting process begins long before guests arrive at the venue. In her view, sending a thoughtful invitation establishes the tone for the entire gathering. Hicks launched a collection of 16 illustrated invitations on October 5 in collaboration with Paperless Post, featuring designs such as a shrimp holding a martini glass. According to Hicks, an invitation transforms a gathering into an event, sparing hosts from needing to send a series of follow-up messages to confirm the time, location, or other logistics.

Once the guest list is locked in, Hicks advocates for strict seating arrangements rather than letting guests choose their own spots. She notes that people frequently complain about assigned placement, but contends that spending time on a seating chart improves the flow of conversation, particularly when a host mixes people who might not already know each other. For couples who arrive together and plan to leave together, Hicks suggests splitting them up during the meal to encourage broader interaction.

Dream Guest Lists and Logistics

When asked about her ideal dinner party attendees, Hicks names Noël Coward, Joan Crawford, Aretha Franklin, and Cristóbal Balenciaga. On the hospitality front, she identifies announcing dietary restrictions upon arrival as the primary dinner party faux pas. To handle unexpected shortages during an event, Hicks prefers to order supplies directly rather than rely on traditional hostess gifts. A bag of ice, she points out, proves far more useful than a mid bottle of red.

Her historical party reference points lean toward the dramatic. She points to Unemployed Magazine’s Halloween parties—where attendees dress as a single iconic figure like Liz Taylor or Princess Diana—as the best events she has attended, while adding that she would have enjoyed dressing up for the Rothschild Surrealist Ball held in 1972.

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