Enter the Enchanted

6a00e5508e95a988330120a9771b51970b-320wi.jpg

DSC_1050 DSC_1051

DSC_1118

I'll come right out and say that whilst I'm a fashion blogger by main definition, on the side I'm also a cantankerous London advocate and devotee as well.  This blog is shamelessly London-centric and yes, the majority proportion of you guys haven't a clue what I'm banging on about half the time but I'll forge ahead still with my up-talking of London.  When New Yorkers bang on about their city being the centre of earth, I'm not embarrassed to get hideously obnoxious when defending London.  It's ugly stuff, city patriotism.  

So, be prepared for gushing… a lot of gushing in fact, for what is probably the most awe-inspiring and magical exhibition that has hit London in a while.  Kensington Palace has become the Enchanted Palace starting from tomorrow and will remain so for two years.  Enough time to save up some pennies and visit London?  Me thinks so… *nudge nudge wink wink*

It's a pretty radical move for the Historic Royal Palaces to raise funds for its ¬£12 million renovation of Kensington Palace by making it utterly enchanted and enthralling.  Together with Cornish theatre group Wildworks as its main collaborator who were responsible for the sets, actors and overall conception as well as a select group of fashion designers and creatives, the rooms known to history aficionados as say The Privy Chamber, the Cupola Room, the King's Gallery, the Council Chamber etc… have all been transformed and most of the rooms contain a princess' tale to be unlocked…

I basically started off with a bemused expression when a lady handed me a map and a stubby pencil, telling me that seven famous Princesses were hidden in the rooms of the palace and could be found via clues… and though I was too busy worrying about camera lighting to join the quest… my expression did change into that of a wide-eyed, O-shaped gaping mouth 6-year-old.  I think increasingly I kept on exclaiming cornball Disneyland-ad things such as "This is MAGICAL!" and "Woooooow!"   Actually I spotted more than a few 'serious' journos with these gaping mouth expressions and me thinks collectively, our inner child was being unleashed.  Lord knows what will happen when ACTUAL children are let loose…

IMG_1823

The slightly theme park aspect was aided by the presence of these grey-cloaked 'detectors' who throughout the tour, patrolled the rooms, hurried around saying nonsensical things to each other, read bedtime stories to an imaginary Queen Victoria and at one point picked up my camera case which I had dropped in a room and very sternly logged this incident in his special notebook (see left pic below).  

IMG_1715

IMG_1706 IMG_1800

Into the Room of Royal Sorrows… alright, it's sort of veeeeery obvious what room unearths which Princess/monarch so I'm just going to put it right out there.  Hopefully I'm not going to be stoned by die-hard questers.  So Queen Mary II's (1662-1694) failure to produce an heir inspired Aminaka Wilmont's creation draped across the bed.  The crystal encrusted material looks almost like it has been tear-stained and the ensemble has also been accentuated by the table of tear-catcher jars.

DSC_1058

DSC_1059

IMG_1700

Stephen Jones' millinery creations have been hung around the Room of Enlightenment, inspired by the 18th century busts of philosophers and scientists… Sir Issac Newton here… geddit?

IMG_1710

IMG_1713 IMG_1716

The Room of Palace Time was the point where my mouth really dropped open.  The original opulence of the room with its spectacular clock centre piece is now completely elevated and augmented by four Boudicca installation pieces that uses the timepieces of clockwork to work into 'dresses the colour of time'.  The sculptural elements are instantly recognisable as Zowie Broach and Brian Kirkby's distinctive silhouettes except the materials mirror that of clock parts.  You sort of need to devote at least five minutes staring up at the ceiling…   

IMG_1717 IMG_1723

DSC_1069

DSC_1073

DSC_1085

On the Grand Staircase aka the Room of Flight, Princess Charlotte (1796 – 1817) inspired this Vivienne Westwood 'dress for a rebellious princess'… natural of course that the oft-18th-century-inspired Westwood should partake in this project and I love the way the dress is on the stairs, ready to flee at any moment…

IMG_1735

DSC_1081

No dresses or installations here but there is…. *fist pump* a throne where you sit in it, say something and it echoes all around you…

That's power for you man… when your voice is echoing…

IMG_1727 DSC_1084

Next up…another stunner courtesy of all rounder illustrator, window dresser and style maven Echo Morgan.  Her amazing willow frame skirt dotted with decoupage bits and bobs clued us in…

IMG_1737 IMG_1738

…to her creation for the Room of the World.  An 18th century paper mantua representing the world with a mix of collage and her own illustration… it takes a few up-close stares to get an idea of the amount of work that has gone into it…

DSC_1092

IMG_1755 IMG_1756

DSC_1088

DSC_1095

Elsewhere in this worldly room is a cabinet of curiosities which actually does require a good 10-20 minutes worth of investigation as every door and drawer opens up to reveal a mix of contemporary art pieces and historical palace collections that have been curated by Echo.  She's done a stupendous job of commissioning and putting together this assembly of pieces that I think I will revisit just to grab all the names and do further research.  All these collector tendencies refer to Queen Caroline of Ansbach (1683-1737) own collecting habits. 

IMG_1770

Cabinet

The first room may have been called the Room of Royal Sorrows but it was in the Room of Dancing Princesses where you felt the most melancholic.  Princess Margaret and Princess Diana's dresses are displayed in the least gimmick-ridden room…

DSC_1097

IMG_1774

Queen Victoria's bedroom (this was the room where a young Victoria was told that she was to be queen… ) has been given a Princess and the Pea-style bed with letters and books strewn all over the place leading the pi√®ce de r√©sistance in the corner.  William Tempest has created an origami dress that seemingly disappears into nothing.  The room is actually lit up in a deep blue but I had to use the flash to find out what sort of paper Tempest had used for the dress. 

IMG_1777 IMG_1780 

IMG_1778

DSC_1103

If you get freaked out by children's voices speaking in quiet tones, then don't go into the Room of Lost Childhood.  I quite enjoyed the display of pieces from the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection including ickle baby shoes, teensy kid gloves and tiny booties…

IMG_1794 IMG_1793

DSC_1105

10,000 toy soldiers all lined up in the Gallery of War and Play… the only bit that is relatively 'boyish'. 

DSC_1112

The final princess in unearthed in the Room of Quarrels where Queen Anne (1665-1714) fell out with Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough and you get an audio re-enactment of the quarrel…

IMG_1807 IMG_1806

Finally in the Gallery of Dancing Shadows, all seven princesses are revealed to you in a bank of mirrors where their images flicker on and off and across the ceiling, the freakily magical shadows of the princesses come dancing…

Princesses

Ok, so admittedly, there are heavy-doses of Disney-esque fun ladled out in the exhibition which personally for me is half the fun.  Still, the fact remains that this quest, the tales of the Princesses reside in a palace steeped in history and that's what made this a real treat for me.  Wildworks respected the palace and without building overwrought sets, augmented the existing rooms with lighting and sound effects and of course the collaborations with the designers that also contributed to an exhibition that will appeal beyond history nuts and parents with kids on half-term hols.

I've veered way off fashion-turf probably but hey, anything to get some of you to at least try and check this exhibition out whilst it's on.  There are two loooong years to do so!

IMG_1821

78 comments

  3. It’s things like this that make me miss living in London. Thank God for cheapie Ryanair flights. Am definitely coming over to check this out.

  4. This looks entirely amazing — the cynic in me would vomit and make crass jokes at the threshold but i imagine, like you, the true romantic would come out. God! Rooms full of knick knacks always kill me.

  7. Ahhh this looks absolutely bonkers- especially the patrolling ‘detectors’. I love it and I need to visit pronto. Thank goodness for Easter holidays and no lectures!

  8. Ooh! Such fun! Am crossing my fingers I make it to London this year…LOVE your outfit!!! Especially the pale blue blazer & pants! GORGEOUS
    xx

  10. Wow you have pretty much made my trip back to london next week! I had to whizz through this post really quickly because it became very evident very quickly that I had to check this out and that it would be good if it was a surprise!

  11. This place seems like it provides a lot of mind boggling creations. I’ve had this nagging voice in my head for a while now telling me that I need to visit London. This post motivates me even more!

  15. i’ve herd that this exibit is fantastic, now i want to see it even more! i better hop over to london soon! 🙂

  22. This looks wonderful! I feel I shall have to make the trip to London, purely to see this! It looks like you would just be in another world when walking around it…
    Clare x

  23. Hi I follow your blog since 2009 I love your post and your way of thinking for fashion.For one month ago I stared to write my blog and I think that I must to work hard to get up. I saw this post and I won to tell you that if you one day will go to Poland you must to go to Krakow and to see a museum of “BAGS” it have so old Bags that remember time of Napoleon Bonaparte. see you on my blog I hope so!!!!!! http://laarmoire.blogspot.com/

  24. Thank you soooo much Susie for this post. I’ll be in London in 2 weeks and there’s no way I will miss this exhibition! Hey btw, if you have time go on my blog, I’ve taken a picture of you while you were off to the Chlo√© show in Paris. Looking good!

  25. Oh magical, magical! I’ll search for my history book today and will go tomorrow. Will report back…

  26. WOW. It’s things like this that make me WANT to live in London! Amazing photos. Your blog has made me feel ike I was there, although next time I’m in London will defo check this out.

  29. Tiora: The jacket is by Krystof Strozyna…! It’s more of a teal-y grey colour!
    Glad ppl are digging all the magic! And it goes without saying, PLEASE try and go because two years really is a looong time to plan a trip to Laaaandon.

  30. how perfect!!! Im going to london next week!! I’ve heard nothing but amazing things!! thanks for the post! i look forward to the visit.

  33. Wow. This literally gave me goosebumps. I was born in London but Ive been living in Brazil for 17 years, and I lived just around the corner to Kensington Palace, so it makes it even more amazing to me. I cant believe its on for 2 years, I definetely have to go see this.

  36. Hey, Susie ~ I’m a New Yorker who lived in London once upon a time and I regularly pine for it!! I often check your blog for inspiration when putting together an outfit. Just to bring more fashion flare to what is actually a fairly conservative city. Don’t tell my friends here, but New York has a lot to learn about personal expression in fashion. I’m so glad that you are broadcasting with style from across the pond!! Sooner or later, the point will make its way across. For now, though, London is hipper – hands down!
    And this posting is fabulous! What a wonderful show. Worth a trip to London. Thank goodness they are giving us lots of time to save for it!

  64. Back to say I that it’s a fabulous exhibition and I had a great time. Sometimes I had to remind myself to look beyond the show pieces to also take in the original rooms and their designs. Was slightly disappointed that I couldn’t have my picture taken while sitting on the throne and there was a slight confusion when my friend and I named one princess as Boudicca… We might be ignorant but had lots of fun!

  65. Sabine: Oh really? No pics at the throne? Glad you liked it though… hah…Princess Boudicca…well there was a queen… but way before the time of Kensington Palace alas…

  66. Wished I’d had more time to do all the interactiveness. This is NOT an exhibition to squeeze in between press days! I’m def going back to do the whole thing properly. It’s so well done, the actors and ‘explainers’ are great and this is such a cool way to teach history. Kids will absolutely love it. My favourite piece was William Tempest’s origami dress – fab.

  68. YES! WHOOP LONDON!! I think we’re allowed a bit of city patriotism, considering racked have whole blogs devoted to NY, LA, etc.

  72. This really helped with my textiles project. When I went there they told me off for using flash xD

Comments are closed.