Dames, royals and divas alike assembled yesterday evening to celebrate the V&A museum’s spectacular summer party, which also launched its newest exhibit, Diva, a sartorial exploration of the ‘extraordinary power and creativity of iconic performers.’
And what a powerful crowd it attracted - the party was a hit, with a live performance from the Sugababes gathering the likes of Dame Shirley Bassey, Olly Alexander and Gwendoline Christie as the girl group provided a much-appreciated throwback with their 2002 hit Round Round.
In other diva movements, there was a mini Girls Aloud reunion as former band mates Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh chatted and posed for photos, meanwhile drag royalty Bimini Bon Boulash was heard to be audibly concerned about her spiky breastplate “stabbing someone in the eye.”
Tribute was paid to more historical divas in the V&A’s new exhibit, which features costumes and works of art worn by the likes of Cher, Aretha Franklin, Sir Elton John and Marilyn Monroe, as well as younger artists like Rihanna, Lil Nas X and Janelle Monae, with over 250 objects drawn from the V&A archive collection.
But some of the most exciting looks were those of the late Tina Turner, including her flame dress, which was created by proflific fashion designer Bob Mackie in the 1977. Mackie himself was present at the party, stealing hearts and regaling guests with a few of the details he’ll likely share at his immersive talk tonight, which will be livestreamed and available for V&A members.
Guests were treated to fish and chip flavoured potato bites, oodles of champagne, cocktails with rose petal-tinged ice and the musical stylings of DJ Chloe Simone, whose setlist was specially curated for the V&A and inspired by some of the world’s most influential and recognised divas.
It was a girlboss kind of evening, with the ever-gracious Gwendoline Christie swanning about in her ivory gown and Louboutins, arm in arm with her husband (and designer of the gown) Giles Deacon. Also in white was Dame Shirley Bassey, who posed playfully in front of two of her own gowns and took a moment to hug her old friend Bob Mackie in the exhibit.
Lady Amelia Windsor was looking stylish as ever, posing for pictures in a crinkled pink lamé prom dress, designed by Hellessy, which she paired with paisley Michael Kors platforms and a black silk Lulu Guiness bag. Further nobility was present in the form of Emma Weymouth, Marchioness of Bath, who wore a gown from Roberto Cavalli’s new Wild Leda collection, paired with a royal blue Cavalli bag.
Ahead of the exhibit’s launch, the V&A have maintained that any gender can be a diva, and as such Olly Alexander and Bimini Bon Boulash were serving drama and sex appeal in their respective looks, with Alexander opting for a nipple-baring mesh number and Bimini rocking her hazardous-to-eyes metallic breastplate with a blue hooded gown beneath.
