With so many events and exhibitions going on during LFW this past week (not to mention the shows themselves), there was one showcase that literally left me drooling. Since I do have a bit of a sweet tooth, I might have been better off staying away, but a girl can rarely resist the combo of fashion and dessert. Some may remember my coverage of the
Salon du Chocolat in Paris, where dresses were created out of cocoa ingredients. This time around, big-name designers themselves were asked to envision their ultimate fantasy cake.
To celebrate AnOther magazine's 10th birthday, Editor in Chief Jefferson Hack (also of Dazed & Confused fame) asked a few luxury designers to come up with their dream birthday cake design just for fun. The idea snowballed when some of UK's most prestigious cake makers decided to actually execute a few of these ideas. The result was hosted by Selfridges, who presented these creations in their (appropriately titled) 'Wonder Room' concept store under the name 'Eat the Designers'. A birthday bash in-store with special guest Daphne Guinness also saw a real live model emerge from the 8-foot Lanvin cake. Now why can't I have birthdays like that?
Below you'll find a few photos I took while browsing the cake selection the day the presentation launched. As tempting as it was to plant my face in one of these beauties, I didn't feel like getting arrested (or worse yet... being banned from the store) and let's be honest... many of these are just too pretty to eat. I have included the descriptions and ingredients though. Just so you can imagine what it would be like if you were to take a nibble...
So tell me, which cake would you want for your own birthday?
(Top right image: AnOther).“Interactive floating mobile cake. Small, matchbook-sized cakes covered in edible silverleaf suspended in a dégradé presentation. Cake flavour: lavender. Approximate size of each cake: 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" square. Thickness of each cake: 1/2"” ~ Francisco Costa. Made by Brett Redman, featuring silverleaf marshmallows.
Gucci
Right: Overview of the space at the Selfridges concept store.Made by Andrew Stellitano. According to the tag description, the ingredients are: bakery selection (doughnuts, cupcakes), gold candles, pink marshmallows with green/red/green web, liquorice strips, strawberry marshmallow, caramel fringes, pink meringue, silver icing, chocolate logo on biscuit, Christmas hard candy mint stick, cream, dark chocolate, Gucci diamante pattern icing, silver sugar praline, milk chocolate, lollipop, biscuit.
Philip Treacy
“I would imagine it could be made with fondant icing as it is sculptural, but as you can see it should be made by somebody who really knows what they are doing!”~Philip Treacy. Made by Julie Walsh of Le Cordon Bleu. The final cake was made of pulled sugar.
Dolce & Gabbana“Inspiration: memories of embroideries from a Sicilian hope chest and the Sicilian baroque. Shape: heart; a tribute to passion for food. Description: a sponge cake imbued in a light and sweet-smelling citron juice, Sicilian orange blossom custard, wild strawberries, blueberries and small passion fruits. For the glazing: marzipan glaze, orange-flavoured dark chocolate coating, citrus and fruits of the forest- flavoured red and maroon small chocolate flowers (inspired by baroque velvets). The micro, white flowers are made of soft marzipan, whilst the darker ones are caramelised violets”~ Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana
I don't believe these cakes were actually made (right images: AnOther). Top: Christian Louboutin, bottom: Dolce & Gabbana. Illustrations and magazines decorated part of the store walls (left).“Bûche de Noël Bottée: chestnut cream, chocolate, vanilla extract, Génoise cake (flour, baking powder, salt, eggs, sugar, vanilla), chocolate ganache (chocolate and heavy cream), covered in shaved chocolate (to make the bark), egg whites, sugar, vanilla, cocoa powder dusting (for the meringue mushrooms), marzipan (for the sole), almond sugar, red food colouring, cocoa powder dusting” ~ Christian Louboutin
Gareth Pugh“A simple cube shape with the pattern tiled onto the surface. The triangles forming the design should be in relief and the gaps should be sunken – very crisp and sharp. Something around 6" square would be a nice size”~ Gareth Pugh. Cake made by Paul Wayne Gregory: 6" x 6"' chocolate quilted cube dusted with powdered edible sugar.
Missoni
(Right image: Annie Nichols).According to AnOther magazine: "The multicolored cake is made with smoothy creams, layers of flavours such as cherry, cream, pistachio, nut, chocolate, raspberry, blueberry, apricot and strawberry. The layer tops are covered with colored marzipan and little biscuit, candies and sugar or chocolate flakes. The cup-holes are in creams, crunchy nuts and candies." Cake made by Caroline Hobkinson.
Burberry
(Left image: AnOther).Burberry Lights: light, soft lemon sponge cake with sugar icing top, illuminated with miniature studded lights. The cake is wrapped in a metallic iconic check casing.
Vivienne Westwood
"It is heart-shaped and can be made out of chocolate, strawberries or vanilla; it is absolutely up to the baker’s imagination"~ Vivienne Westwood. Cake made by Fabien Ecuvillon at Mark Hix (consisting of chocolate and an exoctic fruit of sea/buck thorn jelly).
"Ten candles, lace and sugar. Another Magazine as a temple of modernity. Happy Birthday"~ Karl Lagerfeld. Cake made by Peggy Porschen.
Lanvin
(Right image: Annie Nichols).“I wanted to make a luxurious, tasty, happy and colorful yet chic birthday cake. I took inspiration from 1950s girls who jumped out of cakes – even though they were covered in cream they looked amazing! There are some pearls, and we use meringue at the centre, with cream, white chocolate, and truffles. The cake is big enough so that a real size girl can fit in it”~ Alber Elbaz. Cake made by Bompass & Parr.
Givenchy by Riccardo TisciThis was the most elaborate and also most provocative cake hidden in a black box, only viewable from the top or via peepholes and mirrors. For adults only (a sign nearby said it was for 18+), this orgy of a sculpture was more like a work of art than an actual cake (and who knows where Tisci would have put the candles... I won't venture a guess). It was truly amazing.
(Left images: Annie Nichols).“Dark decadence, sensuality, something that recalls pure pleasure”~ Riccardo Tisci. Made by Simon Smith out of pure margarine.
For more, head over to
Annie Nichols' blog for additional images or visit the
Selfridges page for videos of the 'making of' and the party.
All illustrations and cake descriptions courtesy of AnOther magazine.
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The key look from the exhibition poster: Maison Martin Margiela blazer.
A dress from SS04, which was almost impossible to capture.
