Introducing Dreaming of Dior to America at the Perrot Memorial Library in Old Greenwich, CT

Day 2: Meetings, Darien Presentation, Alastair & Family

Finally hung all my clothes up including the 12 Dreaming of Dior dresses I brought with me. Luckily the wardrobe space is ample enough to fit them all in.

First day of 'work'. Simon & Schuster is 2 blocks away and the S&S building is a wonderful example of the Art Deco style – right on 6th Avenue. Met my fantastic publicist for the first time, Jess, and collected a large box of dresses I bought at auction in the US last week. Thinking I might want to wear one of them I had them shipped to Jess. I also picked up my itinerary. Quite daunting, but very, very exciting. (lunches, talks, cars and drivers, parties, stylists, guest lists and more).

I then walk several blocks to Bar America to meet my great friend I haven't seen for 13 years and with whom I shared many of my wild adventures. It is very posh looking and full of power suited men and women. Suzanne and I sit at the bar and kick off a new stage in our incredibly long standing friendship with glasses of chilled French champagne. (Living in Australia where anything imported, especially luxuries like champagne, costs the earth and although it wasn't cheap here, it was on the menu and affordable.) I am in heaven. We manage to drink several glasses each, eat a delicious lunch of grilled sea bass and catch up on our lives - all in 2 hours. We plan to meet as much as we can during the next 2 weeks.

My first speaking engagement is scheduled for tonight and I have to pack up a selection of 'Dreaming' dresses to take with me. My car and driver will collect me at 5pm.

The drive to Old Greenwich, Connecticut is slow. It is pouring with rain and traffic is snarls up every avenue and on the motorway. I notice my driver nodding off so I spend a scary hour and a half chatting away to make sure he doesn't fall asleep.

I arrive at the beautiful brick and weatherboard library with 10 minutes to spare before my talk begins. It is packed with people – impressive on such a dreary night. The talk goes well and is really fun. Lots of eager faces (from age 9 and up) and oohs and aahs as the dresses are paraded (on hangers) up and down the aisles. The Q&A goes well too with young, budding fashionistas asking questions along with women reliving some of their most poignant fashion moments. I sign lots of books and meet some interesting people who have their own wonderful stories.

I return to the hotel carefully driven by another driver and fell into bed.