LONDON, April 21^st 2012 – Vertu, the pioneer and leading manufacturer of luxury mobile phones last night played host to a private debate and cocktail party at the inaugural Vogue Festival taking place at the Royal Geographical Society in London.

Models Eva Herzigova, Erin O’Connor, Edie Campbell, Cara Delevingne, Laura Bailey, Leah Weller, stylist Rachel Zoe, designer Christopher Kane, actress Tamsin Egerton and singer Pixie Geldof  all gathered to hear a private debate chaired by British Vogue Editor Alexandra Shulman, where an authoritative panel discussed whether technology shapes desire or desire shapes technology.

Perry Oosting, President of Vertu was joined for the debate by fashion illustrator David Downton; Net-a-Porter founder Natalie Massenet; and designer Erdem Moralioglu.  Highlights of the event can be seen exclusively on Vertu.com and also on each Vertu handset via Vertu Select, a digest of original articles selected to inspire, inform and entertain based on a user’s region, preferences and passions.

“Vertu is immensely excited about its involvement with the first ever Vogue Festival, a unique event which will allow the public to see and hear some of the biggest names in fashion today, as well as engaging with interesting issues and topics around the fashion and luxury industries” said Perry Oosting, president of Vertu.

Adam Thomas, Global Head of Public Relations for Vertu said, “The wealth of talent coming together this week, bringing the pages of Vogue to life, promises to be a unique showcase for readers to experience the world of such an iconic magazine. With Vertu also offering access to exclusive experiences within the industry, this first of a kind event is a perfect partnership for both brands.

The event also saw Vertu unveiling its latest product offering – Constellation Candy, Vertu’s first touch smartphone which is exclusively on offer in a variety of bold summer shades, created to seamlessly complement and enhance the discerning lifestyle of the fashion forward female. The Constellation Candy touchscreen model strikes the perfect balance between an unparalleled art of craftsmanship and modern technology while offering an unrivalled range of category leading exclusive services.

Vogue Festival 2012  www.voguefestival.co.uk.