ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS: Joanna Lumley, whose character Patsy Stone in “Absolutely Fabulous” loved nothing more than shopping and Champagne at Harvey Nichols, switched sides on Thursday, sweeping into Harrods for a cocktail to mark the opening of Burberry’s Knight Blue takeover.
Lumley attended alongside other great British actors, TV personalities and celebrities, including Olivia Colman, Mary Berry, Naomi Campbell, Eleanor Tomlinson, Lennon Gallagher and Ed McVey, who plays the teenage Prince William in “The Crown.”
Guests were in a lighthearted mood, with Berry describing Burberry with the sort of adjectives she normally reserves for her toffee pear pudding or raspberry parfait.
“To me, Burberry is sheer luxury — it’s the very best,” said the doyenne of British cookery and star of the “The Great British Bake Off.” Berry also revealed that she’s working on a new BBC TV series, although she didn’t give any details.
Mary Berry with a Harrods doorman at the opening of the Burberry takeover of the store.
Dave Benett
The evening’s mood was certainly luxurious. Guests at the cocktail, which took place in Harrods’ newly refurbished Harrods dining hall, grazed on Wagyu beef hors d’oeuvres, sushi and mini fish-and-chips, while wine, Champagne and cocktails flowed.
A giant ice sculpture in the shape of the Burberry knight dominated the room and there was a special performance by Ezra Collective, the British jazz quintet.
As part of the takeover, which runs until Feb. 29, Burberry has transformed multiple aspects of the store with a luxe camping theme in the brand’s signature blue hue.
For the next month Harrods’ “green men,” who stand at the entrances and greet customers, will be wearing Burberry’s new “knight blue” check introduced by designer Daniel Lee for spring 2024.
By night, the store’s Brompton Road facade will also turn blue following a years-long project to install thousands of LED lights. Going forward, the light installation will allow the store to turn any color it wants — and create different displays.
Naomi Campbell and Burberry chief creative officer Daniel Lee pose with a Harrods doorman at the Burberry party at Harrods.
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The Burberry takeover is the first major event in in Harrods’ 175th anniversary year.
It has also created dedicated pop-up shops, a 40-piece capsule collection exclusive to Harrods, and a camping corner offering British hiking accessories, including a bespoke Burberry knight bottle opener; a limited-edition orienteering map of Knightsbridge; and Romney’s Kendal Mint Cake, a popular confection among explorers and mountaineers.
Olivia Colman at the opening of the Burberry takeover of Harrods.
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