Alexander McQueen: special edition scarves

Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty broke the record for the most-ever advance sales for a V&A exhibition. It is bigger than its predecessor at Now York's Metropolitan Museum of Art and has been hailed as a must-see for lovers of fashion. I'm curious to go, now that the initial hype as died down, because although it is aesthetically impressive by all accounts, some questions have been raised about the lack of context that the curation provides. I'm reserving judgement until I have seen it for myself, however I'm fairly sure it will enchant me in the same way as the Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore exhibition at Somerset House.

In the meantime I wanted to share a couple of things that have been created as a direct result of this exhibition's magnitude. Firstly, Alexander McQueen's special edition scarves. The iconic McQueen scarf has been reinvented for this collection and each one displays an iconic piece of the designer's work. When laid flat the items are seen in all their original glory but worn as a scarf, the colours and patterns transform into something completely unique.

The Widows of Culloden scarf references McQueen's AW06 show inspired by his Scottish roots, and the It's Only a Game scarf references his SS05 show inspired by the 1975 film Picnic At Hanging Rock.

'Widows of Culloden' and 'It's Only A Game' scarves

From fashion to food, here's an entirely different way to celebrate some of McQueen's most iconic pieces. You might recall my trip to the Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge to sample their fashion-inspired afternoon tea, where the exquisite desserts each reflect an item from the current season's catwalk. Well Prêt-à-Portea is celebrating Savage Beauty in its own delicious way – with a biscuit creation of the iconic armadillo heels and a stunning version of the butterfly hat created by Philip Treacy for the SS08 McQueen collection, made of chocolate mousse covered in sugar butterflies.

The Caramel Rooms at the Berkeley Hotel

And as if that wasn't enough McQueen for one day (is there such a thing?!), you can also purchase the book to accompany the exhibition. I think this will be my downfall, I really struggle to resist fashion coffee-table books....

www.the-berkeley.co.uk
www.alexandermcqueen.com
www.vam.ac.uk

Prêt-à-Portea! A unique fusion of fashion and food

Couture and cake are two of life's greatest pleasures, so you can imagine my delight at receiving a gift voucher for Prêt-à-Portea at The Caramel Room – an ingenious afternoon tea that changes to reflect the fashion seasons. And what better place to host such an event than the 5* Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge, just a stone's throw from Harrods and Harvey Nichols.

© The Berkeley Hotel, London

Remember back in February 2013 when I posted a picture from the A/W Burberry collection? Well last week I got to eat that gorgeous heart print mac, and it tasted as good as it looked! These adorable little ginger biscuits (above) were covered with caramel icing and hand decorated. So beautiful.

Other catwalk highlights turned sartorial sweets included a Westwood Anglomania inspired checked mint green macaroon, a tiny victoria sponge dressed as a Saint Laurent handbag, and a stunning Emporio Armani mousse in a shot glass topped with a chocolate swirl.

 

Despite this incredible selection, I'm actually more of a savoury girl, and I was equally content tucking into some delicious mini sandwiches, a surprisingly yummy watercress soup in a shot glass, and several other savoury bites – all of which were as beautifully presented as the cakes and pastries. And the best bit? Everything was repeatedly replenished until you literally couldn't eat another thing!

There were several blends of tea and fruit infusions to choose from, all served in beautiful exclusive Wedgwood China. I started with the Amazing Apple (below) before moving on to a classic peppermint.

As you can probably tell, I love afternoon tea. I think it's one of our country's greatest culinary traditions, and this really is a fabulous twist on a classic. The food was incredible and the service second to none. We took two hours to consume everything and were still given a doggy bag with some cakes to take away. Although I don't think 'doggy bag' is an appropriate term for something that resembled a cute pink handbag!

The menu changes each fashion season so no doubt I will be returning to see what Spring/Summer has to offer. I bet that Temperley London dress I fell in love with would taste great! A wonderful experience where food and fashion come together to produce something indulgent, fun and utterly delicious.

www.the-berkeley.co.uk

Huge thank you to Matt and Catherine for the wonderful gift!