As every fashionista knows; cupcakes, macaroons and cookies do not a Miranda Kerr doppelganger make. Thanks to the current heat wave, this thought has never been more prevalent in my mind as the sun forces my body out of its winter hibernation. My summer wardrobe is now a horrifying reality and this thought alone is enough to make me reach for the carrot sticks, leaving the delectable, Jason Wu belted mini dress mocking me on its hanger.
But what if I said that the Jason Wu mini dress was not made from (scarily) scanty silk, but was in fact fashioned from delicious poppy-seed dough, embellished with ruffled purple icing? Well, at The Berkeley this summer, you can find Jason Wu, Christopher Kane, YSL and Chanel all elegantly served up on a plate, thanks to their spring/summer inspired Prêt-à-Portea afternoon tea.
This sugared sartorial indulgence has been created by head pastry chef Mourad Khiat, a trend-setter that drops in on London Fashion Week to inform on his delicate patisserie creations. His top selection for Spring/Summer 2010? The hat – which is why the current Prêt-à-Portea collection is representative of this “statement accessory”: one outfit finds Paul Smith orange, papaya and pink lavender bavarois smiling beneath a jaunty chocolate bowler hat.
Other trend-infused delights include the must-have clog biscuit, adorned with chocolate brown studs and white leather glaze, a Christopher Kane pink almond macaroon filled with white chocolate and elderflower ganache and the decadently dark Erdem chocolate cake, laced with passion fruit.
Prêt-à-Portea is served in The Caramel Room at The Berkeley from 1-6pm every day, and the über fashion-conscious can opt for a glass of couture Champagne with their treats. It all just confirms what we already know – you have to eat, sleep and breathe fashion. Just be careful not to end up with cake on your face – even if it is Chanel.
To find out more, please go to www.the-berkeley.co.uk/fashionista_tea.aspx.
