Dress the part, choose the right location and other tips from Ms Natalia Vodianova.

As a model, Ms Natalia Vodianova has reached the dizzy heights – and then some. Glossy front covers, fat contracts, pretty much universal approbation. She has all the laurels. Off the runway the Russian supermodel, 36, has five children and a longtime partner in LVMH heir and billionaire Berluti CEO Mr Antoine Arnault. She also happens to be a heavyweight philanthropist.

Through her children’s charity the Naked Heart Foundation Ms Vodianova has raised over £40 million to help children with special needs around the world. The way she has done this, in part, is by throwing a whacking great party. Her Fund Fair in London (this year at Camden Roundhouse on 18 February) is one of the best parties in the world and attracts a galaxy of A-listers. Now in its fifth year, it will transform the venue into a scene from Mr Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita with arcades featuring prizes from the many luxury houses Ms Vodianova has fronted campaigns for (Louis Vuitton, Celine, Givenchy, Dior to name a few) with celebrities playing tarot readers and fashion royalty mixing cocktails for the night. She knows, then, a thing or two about what makes a good bash. On the eve of her next big charity do she tells us the secrets of throwing a party that everyone wants to come to because, well, everyone wants to come to hers.

“When you’re throwing a big party you want the guests to be as eclectic as possible. But if it’s a more formal scenario you have to be more strategic. First thing is to divide up the couples (except the young ones who can’t bear to be separated) to encourage them to mingle. But there are rules of etiquette you have to follow. On each table make sure roughly half the people know each other and sit the people who don’t between them – they’re here to meet new people, after all. Use your better judgment and consider whose interests and personalities are going to complement each other.”

“The venue can either make or kill a party. If it is a one-off, choose somewhere new. Avoid overexposed places – and that can mean overexposed on your friends’ Instagram pages as much as in the press. Give your guests something exclusive and the opportunity to explore somewhere they’ve never been before. With a recurring event like the Fund Fair, I want the opposite: it has to be easy and accessible for guests.”

“If you’re having a themed party keep the dress code simple. La Dolce Vita is perfect because it’s open to interpretation – some men will reference the movie, others will just take cues from an Italian summer – but it all comes back to a beautiful, classic suit and crisp shirt. The ladies, meanwhile, can go all out on cinematic glamour.”

“If you are not doing a formal dinner, the food should be an extension of the theme. This year, because of the theme, Italian restaurant Cipriani is doing the catering. Last year my theme was ‘Cosmic Odyssey’ so we served food in test tubes – it had to be as weird as possible. And, when it comes to cocktails it is as much about entertainment as it is the drink. If you hire a bartender, make sure they are a crowd-pleaser. (The ballet dancer Mr Eric Underwood did it for us a few years ago and this year the fashion photographer duo Messrs Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott will be manning the bar). Amid all the cocktail showmanship don’t forget to serve your guests some more straightforward options – nice wine and champagne.”

“I generally prefer a DJ to a live performance or a band at my parties because I like to get people dancing rather than standing and watching. Again, they have to be a crowd-pleaser, which means they can’t just play what they want – it’s the DJ’s job at a party to lure you in with some classics and take you on a trip with them.”

London’s Fabulous Fund Fair takes place on 18 February at Roundhouse