THE BAYEUX BUNCH: The evening hosted by Net-a-porter and Erdem at the British Museum on Tuesday was as grand as they get.
Guests gathered around the Rosetta Stone for cocktails, dined on River Café food in Nereid Gallery and then had a private view of the Bayeux Tapestry — the hottest ticket in London right now. It was a feast for the senses, and will go down as a highlight of Frieze Week, which runs until Sunday.
“Keep the Champagne and caviar, my greatest luxury is being in a museum like this, after hours,” said Ruth Rogers, chef patron of London’s beloved River Café and a friend of designer Erdem Moralioglu.
The designer, who is a trustee of the British Museum and who often stages his shows there, said the tapestry, which is on loan from the French Ministry of Culture, was a rich example of storytelling through fabric.
The tapestry tells the story of the Norman Conquest in 1066, a seminal moment in British history. Moralioglu said he loved the idea of nuns “sewing and embroidering” the tale of William the Conqueror’s victory onto the 230-foot-long fabric.
Heather Kaminetsy, chief executive officer of Net-a-porter, kept her post-dinner remarks short, complimenting the designer and telling guests that partnering with Erdem at the museum felt like the ideal way to celebrate Frieze London.
She added: “I realize I am the only thing standing between you and the Bayeux Tapestry,” and then urged them to visit the exhibition, which has drawn vast crowds since it opened last month. The show runs until July, when the tapestry will return to its eponymous museum in Normandy, France.
Guests included Net-a-porter EICs, or extremely important clients, many of whom are in town for Frieze, in addition to Adwoa Aboah, Ruth Wilson, Rashida Jones and Hayley Atwell. Nicholas Cullinan, director of the British Museum, was there, too, talking to guests about the tapestry and the “trusted” relationship between the British and the French that allowed the exhibition to take place.