The poetic extravagance of the clothes she was there to see - glowing clouds of sunflower organza, lavishly draped tangerine silks was matched by the skyline, which peacocked its beauty through the glass walls.
The colours were strong, the vibe modern and abstract, the furry shoes deliberately challenging.
A few hours later Emilia Wickstead, a great favourite of the Princess of Wales, welcomed guests to the Royal Geographical Society with liveried waiters bearing piles of peeled tangerines on silver trays.
Oil paintings of admirals and a bust of the Victorian explorer Lady Jane Franklin loomed over the wooden galleries, a catwalk for the day for the demure-with-a twist clothes Wickstead is famed for: a sugar-pink ballerina-length strapless cocktail dress, courtly tailoring in baby blue.
Denne historien er fra September 16, 2024-utgaven av The Guardian.
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Denne historien er fra September 16, 2024-utgaven av The Guardian.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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George says Jones regime successful but 'challenging'
The England captain, Jamie George, has admitted that Eddie Jones's regime could be \"challenging\" and empathises with Danny Care after his explosive claims about the Australian's setup, insisting that a toxic environment is not a necessary price to pay for success.
'He respects I'm in charge': Carsley has not spoken with Tuchel about England squad
Lee Carsley has revealed he is yet to speak to Thomas Tuchel about the England squad he will hand over to him in the new year.
Osimhen makes Spurs pay as Lankshear scores and sees red
When everyone had gathered breath, the only surprise was that Tottenham had run Galatasaray so close.
Diallo steps into Rashford's shoes to end United's wait for victory
Hold on to your hat: Manchester United are victorious in Europe after three consecutive Europa League draws and three more without winning in last term's Champions League.
Arsenal will take time to replace Edu
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'I had the same feeling as Harry: do Spurs really want to win?'
In exclusive extracts from his autobiography, the goalkeeper tells of the dismay he and others felt at how well the club took losing the 2019 Champions League final
Félix leads Chelsea's finishing masterclass
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Coventry end Robins' long reign
Coventry have made the surprise decision to sack Mark Robins, with the Championship club's board unhappy over \"the performance of the team over an extended period\", despite describing the 54-year-old as one of the Sky Blues' \"greatest ever managers\".
Trescothick wants 50-over change after latest defeat
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Drivers warn FIA: start treating us like adults
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