Emilio Pucci silk bird print dress, £950, from Browns. (I know, it's hardly credit-crunch-sensitive, but a girl's gotta be inspired - and dream - right?)
Browns
24-27 South Molton Street
London W1K 5RD
Tel. 020 7514 0016
Nearest tube: Bond Street
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Click here for more shops in W1.
Opening hours:
Monday to Saturday 10am - 6.30pm
Thursday 10am - 7pm
You know, it’s very possible that true satisfaction can be described as nabbing the very last carrot cake of the day at Dover Street Market’s Rose Bakery. Each individual tower is a tiny piece of perfection, and is best enjoyed with a cup of tea whilst gazing out over the grey rooftops of Mayfair.
The generous crown of cream cheese icing is extraordinary and its slightly sour edge is balanced beautifully by the spicy, nutty cake.
Everything is baked daily on-site at Rose Bakery, the London outpost of the Parisian café, where you’ll find trays of freshly baked chocolate brownies and scones joining the changing menu of light lunches like quiches and salads.
Things can get pretty busy during the lunch time crush, where you’re likely to spot an assortment of major designers, staff from nearby Conde Nast and so-hip-it-hurts shoppers jostle for space on the long communal tables. Better to go earlier or later in the day, and head for the table for two by the window, or, weather permitting, the table out on the balcony.
And for the perfect souvenir, why not take home a copy of Rose Bakery co-founder Rose Carrarini's book, Breakfast, Lunch, Tea.
Rose Bakery
Top floor at Dover Street Market
17-18 Dover St,
London W1
Tel: 020 7518 0680
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
Opening hours:
Monday to Saturday 11am-6pm
Thursday 11am-7pm
Nearest tube: Green Park
I spied these gorgeous (and reasonably priced) Victorian silver name brooches on a recent excursion to Grays Antiques in Mayfair. You can find them at Spectrum (stand 371-372), but unless you fancy being called Gertrude, Gertie or Gladys, you may be hard-pushed to find your actual name. But you never know – and with old-fashioned names like Eliza and Violet making a big come-back, they are perfect gifts for babies. In fact, many of the highly decorative brooches were originally for babies and sweethearts, whilst the plainer styles belonged to maids and servants. Prices range from £20 to £45.
Spectrum
Stand 371-372
Tel: 020 7629 3501
Grays Antiques
58 Davies Street
London W1
Tel. 020 7629 7034
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
Nearest tube: Bond Street
Opening hours:
Monday to Friday 10am – 6pm
It’s all about tulle, tutus and tortured toes at Dover Street Market right now, and I couldn’t stay away for a second (OK, I made it over there yesterday).
Repetto design by Rei Kawakubo, Comme des Garcons.
I was there to check out Repetto’s 60 Ans exhibition, which opened in London on Monday. The iconic French ballet shoe company has just turned 60, and to celebrate they invited 60 sparkling luminaries from the worlds of dance, film, art, fashion and design to customise a pair of ballet shoes.
Bardot ‘Strass Rouge’ – limited and individually numbered by Repetto.
I’m not sure that I saw the entire line-up – perhaps they’re showing different designs over the exhibition period – but highlights included Vanessa Beecroft’s blood-spattered white leather flats (she got murderous with some thick red paint), and a French ballerina’s satin pointe shoes that had been hand-embroidered with a charming pas-de-deux design. By contrast, Carla Bruni’s silver star and moon design looked positively bland.
There’s also a line-up of customised tutus and leotards, including Rei Kawakubo’s flirty and fun French-maid version with a shorter white ‘apron’ frill over a longer black skirt. It also plays with the difference between the classic shorter tutu and the romantic mid-calf version.
Repetto design by Rei Kawakubo, Comme des Garcons.My only (tiny) complaint was that at times it was difficult to discern who actually designed what, as the labels were attached to each shoe and often tucked underneath. And a good sprinkling of “Do not touch” signs made me reluctant to turn them over. I would have loved to have seen the shoes designed by Chloë Sevigny and Kim Gordon.
All designs in 60 Ans will be auctioned in October, with proceeds going to Unesco to fund select educational establishments.
Repetto 60 Ans
Monday 18th August to Saturday 13th September
Dover Street Market
17-18 Dover St,
London W1
Tel: 020 7518 0680
Opening hours:
Monday to Saturday 11am-6pm
Thursday 11am-7pm
Nearest tube: Green Park
Click here for more shops in Mayfair.
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
All images courtesy of Dover Street Market.
If the ultimate souvenir serves to remind your senses of an authentic (and specific) sense of place, then you’d be hard pressed to do better than Claridge’s eponymous Black & White collection.
In fact, in The Goddess Guide (a Wee Birdy favourite), author Giselle Scanlon says she “can’t leave Mayfair without visiting Claridge’s to pick up a bottle of their signature musky bath oil – in its elegant Art Deco bottle, with the lid shaped like the hotel’s bathroom taps.”
The collection’s black and white packaging reflects the classic glamour of this historic London institution, as well as the foyer’s grand marble floor.
I especially love the candle’s evocative floral top notes of Turkish rose and Indian jasmine, with warm, woody-Oriental undertones of Russian wild coriander and agarwood bark. The entire Black & White collection is available exclusively from Claridge’s Flowers & Gifts stall (just inside the Ballroom entrance).
Claridge’s Black & White Candle, £32 (250g)
Claridge’s Travel candle set, £18.50 (2 x 50g)
Claridge's
Brook Street
Mayfair
London W1K 4HR
Tel: 020 7629 1508
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
Nearest tube: Bond Street
(p.s. for the ultimate in bathroom luxury, make sure you check out the Ladies just to the right of the front entrance.)
Photography by Paul Raeside, courtesy of Claridge's.
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