London has been absolute magic this week. Besides nearly perfect weather (we only had rain for 2 out of the 10 days!), there were a number of incredible cultural, fashion and art exhibits and shows happening. Many of which were free! VisitLondon.com was an amazing resource for helping plan our trip and discovering many of the below. If you’re headed to London anytime soon or there now, here’s what’s not to be missed!
Louis Vuitton Series 3 Exhibition (FREE) – Discover Nicolas Ghesquiere’s inspiration for his fourth ready-to-wear show as Artistic Director of women’s collections at Louis Vuitton. Enjoy two floors of Louis Vuitton amazingness, taking you through the craftsmanship and history of the brand. There are actual LV craftsmen on the floor making bags on the spot which you can interact with. One of my favorite parts was the room that shows iconic pieces throughout the century. Not only is the exhibit free, but you also walk out with a complementary poster and stickers! The exhibit is on display through October 18th.
Heart Beat installation at the Covent Gardens (FREE) – See the work of French artist, Charles Petillon for his first public art installation. Enjoy 100,000 giant white balloons spanning 54 meters of the 19th century Market Building, Covent Gardens. It’s spectacular and something out a fairytale.
Audrey Hepburn Portraits of an Icon Exhibit – Currently on display at the National Portrait Gallery through October 18th, enjoy the rare opportunity to see this fascinating photography exhibit of actress, humanitarian and fashion icon Audrey Hepburn (1920-1993). A beautiful display of seventy images capturing her humanitarian work, film stills, magazine covers and more from the lens of photographers Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Cecil Beaton, Terry O’Neill and Norman Parkinson. The exhibition is sold out online, but you can still obtain tickets at the door. Learn more at npg.org.uk/hepburn
McQueen at the Theatre Royal Haymarket – I didn’t know what to expect out of Alexander McQueen in play form. The complexity and brilliance of this designer was evident in every design he produced on the runway and his untimely death was so tragic and such a loss that it was interesting to see what this play would be about. Brilliantly performed by Stephen Wight as McQueen, the actor takes you into the mind of the designer and the struggle to walk the line between life and death, and his perfectionist, genius and eccentric tendencies. The scenes themselves are visually engaging and thought provoking with great costume and set design.
What to expect? For 