The most talented and lovely Dhini is shares her journey with LMFF as she explores Paris and London in search of inspiration for her new collection!
Thursday 16th June, land in London (just for the day and night), and leave for Paris tomorrow for a week, then back in London for 6 days….I pretty much hit the ground running really…this is a whirlwind trip – 7 days in London, 7 days in Paris, so no time to sleep – ‘you snooze, you lose!’ is my motto during this trip
My first stops is Selfridges, who are renowned for doing amazing windows and collaborative installations. They don’t always have something on, but I decided to try my luck…and I had no idea what was in store for me… how lucky was I to catch the installation called ‘Washed Up’! From Oxford Street looking into the front window –I was awe-struck by a room filled with dead coral, and rising from this coral, huge glass cabinets containing mannequins clothed in amazing avant-garde pieces.
Above: Looking into the shop windows at Selfridges.
Above: The instillation emerging from the shop floor.
The glass cabinets that took you on an incredible underwater journey with the dead coral acting as the amazing landscape. ‘Washed Up’ is an installation curated by Judith Clark located in the Concept Store of Selfridges. and when I read the flyer at the entrance I discovered the coral came from illegal coral smugglers, seized at British Customs and then donated to the London Aquarium!
The pieces were grouped according to concepts – Structure & Geometry, Radiolarium, Texture, Atlantis, Oil Spill and featured designers such as Hussein Chalayan, Alexander McQueen and Gareth Pugh.
Above: Iris Van Herpen
Above: Iris Van Herpen & Gareth Pugh
Above: Phillip Treacy for Lady Gaga – Lobster Hat
That evening I decided to splurge a little bit for dinner and went to ‘Koffmans’ – the Michelin starred chef Pierre Koffman’s restaurant at the Berkeley Hotel Knightsbridge. Went all out and had 3 courses. Well i didn’t really splurge! Interestingly, in London, even Michelin starred restaurant’s have special deals (un-heard of in Australia), and I managed to catch a specials night – lucky again!
Above: Escargot in a mushroom soufflé – entree
Above: Cod with lentils – main
And to finish off, renowned pistachio soufflé with a dollop of pistachio ice-cream for dessert! Followed by cocktails at the Blue Bar – a bar also at the Berkely next to Koffmans – bit of a late night! Hell, I fly out to Paris next morning!
Thanks for the pics from London – we love the instilation and are all feeling rather peckish now.
Visit Dhini’s Website.
