June 29, 2017 |
The slight chill in the air did nothing to deter a host of London’s shiniest socialites from descending upon Hyde Park last night for this year’s Serpentine Summer party. Celebrating the opening of the gallery’s seventeenth pavilion commission, this year designed by Berlin-based architect Francis Kéré, the event, thrown in collaboration with Chanel, brought together industry MVPs from the worlds of fashion, art, architecture, music and film. Star-studded doesn’t even cover it. The attendees, many of whom were head-to-toe Chanel, included Anish Kapoor, Edie Campbell, Rita Ora, Grayson Perry, Guy Ritchie, Mario Testino, Skepta, Claudia Schiffer and many more it seems a bit futile to try and list them all here. We have some pics instead.
The pavilion itself is all about our interaction with the elements. Francis Kéré’s upbringing in Burkina Faso shaped his conception of a buildings utility, exploring ways in which he could subvert the extreme elements of his home town of Gando by developing and altering traditional building techniques. London is not faced with sub-Saharan temperatures but his approach to the pavilion is no different; central steel columns support a shade-providing layered wooden canopy, while curved blue walls provide protection from the wind and the central void is designed to create temporary waterfalls when it rains hard enough. A safe bet to say the least. But maybe we should be a bit more grateful for our damp summers, Kéré believes we Brits under-appreciate the rain, saying in an interview with The Guardian, “you don’t know what you have”. Hmm, we’ll take your word for it.
Sam Rollinson, top, Adwoa Aboah, both in Chanel
Alice Dellal
Rita Ora in Chanel
Lady Amanda Harlech
Yana Peel
Skepta in Chanel
The Serpentine Pavilion by Francis Kéré will remain until October 8th 2017
