“Do you think that feels like a heart?” Poppy Delevingne holds a charred red pepper up to her elder sister, Chloe, a charity co-founder who has trained as a midwife. “No,” answers Chloe, giving it a perfunctory feel before continuing to chop hazelnuts for a green bean and burrata salad. There’s a party at the Delevingnes’ in Shepherd’s Bush, which means, as Poppy puts it, “a bit of mayhem with magic”.

Poppy (left) and Chloe Delevingne
Poppy (left) and Chloe Delevingne © Lily Bertrand-Webb
Butternut squash and prosecco rigatoni served with radicchio and red pepper, roasted tomato, onion and basil salad
Butternut squash and prosecco rigatoni served with radicchio and red pepper, roasted tomato, onion and basil salad © Lily Bertrand-Webb

A Delevingne party is an affair with “cosy lighting, lots of lamps, tons of candles – even if it’s the middle of the day – and people sitting on the floor”. Buckets hold ice-cold Della Vite rosé prosecco, often served with blackcurrant liqueur or homemade sloe gin (“sloe-gasms”, as Chloe calls them), and the pair will battle it out over the playlist: classic crooners such as Frank Sinatra and James Brown (Poppy’s choice) or dance tunes and Kylie Minogue (Chloe’s). 

‘Cosy lighting, lots of lamps, tons of candles – even if it’s the middle of the day – and people sitting on the floor’ Poppy Delevingne

They’ve come up with a menu of Italian dishes to be served family-style (“we all think that we were Italian in a past life,” says Poppy), which they’ve cooked with the help of their friend, chef Jesse Jenkins. Over pistachio linen tablemats dotted with mushroom-shaped vases there are platters of red pepper, roasted tomato, onion and basil salad prepared by Poppy, green bean salad made by Chloe, butternut squash and prosecco rigatoni, and a radicchio salad. For dessert there is a mountain of pavlova and a jiggly Della Vite rosé jelly studded with raspberries and blueberries. “We never do courses,” says Poppy. “It’s big plates with wooden spoons and everyone can dig in.”

Chef Jesse Jenkins seasons the salad with lemon juice
Chef Jesse Jenkins seasons the salad with lemon juice © Lily Bertrand-Webb
Chloe whips cream for the pudding
Chloe whips cream for the pudding © Lily Bertrand-Webb
Poppy and Jesse finish the pavlova with pomegranate seeds
Poppy and Jesse finish the pavlova with pomegranate seeds © Lily Bertrand-Webb

At family parties, games are central but must be carefully chosen. “We don’t play Cluedo any more because you struggle with cheating,” says Chloe. When Cara is in town from LA, “she makes us play Sardines”, says Poppy, “and more extreme, wild games”, adds Chloe. With friends, music is the main event. “Late night, it’s always Disney – singalong,” says Poppy. The sisters all have set duets and favoured routines: Moulin Rouge!, Aladdin and the Spice Girls. “Usually at that point everyone’s leaving. And it will just be us, till dawn!” says Poppy.

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