Market Saturdays | Hermes Wanderland

I don’t know how I lived my weekends before I started going to markets, be it flower (Columbia Road Flower Market), food, antique/vintage etc. It is honestly such a fun day out, as you get to experience different cultures, people and the sunshine if you’re lucky. Last weekend I went to the Duke of York Square market for some lunch and to visit the Hermès Wanderland exhibition at Saatchi Gallery. As soon as I got an email about its launch I was over the moon. I have previously observed how an Hermès bag is made at the Royal Academy of the Arts in 2012 so I was so happy to be able to experience some more Hermès magic happen. It is on until the 2nd of May and it is well worth a visit!

I have yet to find a nice 70s pair of denim dungarees, but at the moment I think I found the perfect black ones. They are straight-leg and really comfortable and from (where else!) Asos. I was thinking about pairing them with a striped top, and even though I would have preferred a tight, cropped one, I had to settle. Another piece I am loving at the moment is this long duster coat, which I bought in Beyond Retro. I have been wearing it almost every day now that it’s getting sunnier, as it’s lighter than a wool coat but not too light. I really like its weird chameleon-like change of colour depending on the light, I find it very special.

My accessories of choice all come from Greek designers. I first wore the necklace a couple of weeks ago and it’s by the very talented Zoe Kompitsi, with whom I did a short interview that I will post soon, so stay tuned! The bracelets are also by her and I really liked combining them all together. Can’t wait to get my hands on more of her jewellery, it’s so gorgeous and well-made and I think it would make a cool and special present as well.

The bag is by Callista Crafts, and the craftsmanship is amazing. I like that they have created this signature of exposed stitching on the side. You can tell it’s a Callista bag without having a loud, large (and sometimes ugly) logo all over. This understated detail is their own logo, which combined with the soft, structured leather, that ages beautifully with time, creates the perfect day bag. And it fits so many things as well, from makeup, to books (I’m currently reading the Goldfinch btw and I really enjoy it!) to notebooks and your daily essentials.

The slip-on shoes are by Anna Despotopoulou, who has taken over the footwear family-business and infused it with modern, wearable designs. These light pink ones are part of her spring collection and she will soon be launching some really cool espadrilles for summer as well. They are leather and super-comfortable! Message her directly on Facebook or email her on a.despotopoulou@yahoo.gr for more information.

Asos dungarees (here) | Anna’s handmade shouz (here) | Gap stripped top (similar) |

Zoe Kompitsi necklace* and bracelets (here and here) | Callista Crafts bag (similar)

The farmer’s market on Duke of York square has everything from burgers, prosecco, vegan superfood wraps (which is what I went for!), desserts, cupcakes and even oysters! It’s a great place if you don’t know what you want to eat because with so many different options, there’s definitely something for everyone. Although psychology has taught me that too much choice isn’t actually that good, because it makes it harder to make up your mind and you might end up choosing something you don’t want or not choosing anything at all. But that’s another story…

The exhibition was magical, a true ‘wanderland’. It was all about flânerie, the art of urban wandering, which is second nature to Hermès. “All we do emanetes from such wanderings, invites people to be flâneurs, and appeals to flâneurs. Our objects, our store displays, even our stores are all created to encourage this quintessentially Parisian practice. Through Flânerie, time is not lost, it is rediscovered! Guided by instinct, senses all alert, flâneurs watch passing moments intently, all the better to seize them. Flâneurs garner, forage and gather. They unearth the unusual in the mundane, the unnoticed in the already seen, the distant in the near, the visible in the invisible. It gives me great pleasure to have entrusted Bruno Gaudichon with curating this exhibition dedicated to Flâneur Forever, our 2015 theme, and Hubert le Gall with its set design. Their talented minds invite us all to wander, and wonder, in Wanderland.” Pierre-Alexis Dumas, Artistic Director, Hermès

And wander we did…

The exhibition gathers several peculiar objects (such as these walking sticks) from the archive of Hermès and presents it in beautifully staged rooms, that make you feel as if you are transported in Paris within a millisecond.