I HAVE A DREAM

If I dream of something, it is to spend a night in the Savoy Hotel in London. A hotel with corridors full of marble, countless chandeliers, dark brown oak wood, and concierges and men in three-piece suits holding the door open for you everywhere. That overnight stay will still take a while (a single room starts at a lousy 500 pounds per night), but last Sunday we were allowed to see the hotel from the inside at the Temperley London show. This British brand by Alice Temperley is perhaps best known for the beautiful princess-worthy dresses that every girl dreams of having in her closet. Real princesses like Kate Middleton can appreciate the dresses too, by the way. Kate is regularly spotted in a Temperley dress, and in the lead-up to her wedding, there was much speculation about who would design her wedding dress, with Alice Temperley often appearing on the lists of possible designers. So last Sunday was the Fall 2014 show, and as we arrive at the Savoy, a shiny black Maybach with tinted windows just drives away. Dozens of expensive cars are parked outside with drivers holding the doors open for their wealthy clientele, and we are wide-eyed. Once inside, we walk through the corridors of the hotel to the room where the show will take place, passing by almost the entire collection from net-a-porter on all the guests. And then, showtime.

The collection opens with a long cobalt blue dress with a lot of lace, a printed coat, and a large thick scarf. It is a harbinger of what is to come because even the most delicate dresses are styled (by stylist Katie Shillingford) with large thick scarves or coats. Those contrasts combined with rich colors, many prints, and a lot of layering make the show surprising and lively, and the long suede boots give a super sexy touch. Among the models, by the way, is also our great friend Herieth Paul. The hair is in the hands of Malcolm Edwards and is a personal favorite of ours. A messy hairstyle with subtle braiding over the head is something we immediately want to try ourselves. After the show, we spot quite a few celebs outside the hotel, a handful of models, and of course a lot of wealthy women who already have their mental shopping list ready. A large procession of black cars with tinted windows arrives, and the fashion crowd slowly trickles away. We walk to Starbucks for some wifi and coffee to let everything sink in. There must be a difference, but the Savoy and a dress from Temperley London were beautifully close for a little while.