Category: Blog

Around the table… Always a special occasion!

Growing up, if you are one of the lucky ones, there was a time in the day, in the week, or even in the month, that the family gathered around the table. A sort of routine that did not always mean much back then. It could have been the daily family dinner on the cozy kitchen table, the Sunday visit to grandparents or other relatives, the opening of your home to friends and family or the occasional social event… that wedding or baptism you were dressed up and dragged to.

At a later age, especially in Greece, these gatherings of loved ones around a table whether it is friends or family, become the pinnacle of the day. Inside a home or out, it is the point of contact and warmth you get from the people you cherish, the laughter, the gossips, the tastes, the aromas, the discoveries, the images, the sounds, the feelings that come with it.

“The table is a place of memory where we…become aware of who we are and with whom we are. Around the table, all previous meals come together in every meal, in an endless succession of memories and associations. The table is the place where the family gathers, the symbol of solidarity, or indeed the backdrop to family rows and childhood tragedies. At the table the eater is tamed.” Why We Eat Together, The Atlantic

In these challenging times we are going through, these often-casual gatherings, that we had taken for granted were suddenly and abruptly taken away. The seats on the table were drastically reduced and the given of togetherness was no longer a given but rather a present… a present you would look forward to like a kid on Christmas day. And as happens with many things, it is exactly then that its real value resurfaced.

But the coronavirus was not the only reason why people do not eat together anymore. It was more of a trigger to notice it. Late work hours, multiple stimuli, digital or other, hobbies, and so many more distractions have driven us away from the table and into eating on the go or not even having structured meals.

“There’s something about gathering around a physical table that unites us. No matter who you are, where you’re from and whether or not you recognize it, feasting together is something human beings were meant to do.” Christine Bailey, minno life

The table itself is so much more than just a piece of furniture, so much more that its decoration, and even more that the food. It is i think a symbolism of comming together, an expression of fellowship. It works as the means to bring families, friends old and new, into a common space and motivate them to share a conversation. However deep or shallow. Dining together offers not only food for the body, but also food for the soul. A safe haven to share news and challenges, happy faces to welcome thoughts, worries, grievances, understanding friends that let you just be.

“A study from the University of Oxford shows people who eat socially are more likely to feel better about themselves and have a wider social network. These networks provide social and emotional support.” Hillary Jackson, Caring Magazine In Greek this is what creates a “koinonia” a fellowship, a community, a state companionship, a state of unity.

I think that the importance of gathering around a table is exactly there… it is around it. It is in the feeling of companionship, the quick eye meets across it, the mother daughter eye roll, the hands that come together under it, the laughs that fill the air above it, the tingling of glasses that accompany the shared joys, the hums and awes of tasting the food on it, the memories that certain tastes bring to mind, the grudge that you cannot hold on to for long, the joy of the occasion that brought you to it, the feeling that you are there to listen and to be heard.

“How food is experienced has everything to do with the decor, with the rituals surrounding the meal, with the company, and with the experience.” Louise O. Fresco, The Atlantic

Now, what happens ON the table is a different story. I think the table itself is what sets the scene. It is what marks the occasion and what gives us a taste of what will follow. It is the care, the feelings, and the effort of those that brought us together. It is the culture, the unique characteristics, and a piece of our hosts heart. Around a table is where relationships are built, friendships grow, disputes are softened through taste and distances are diminished. Words, feelings, senses, all become tangled in a dance that is as exciting as it is unpredictable. Sounds familiar right? On the table is where the love and care of your hosts becomes a feast for not only your taste buds, but for your eyes as well.

But will gathering around a table ever be the same again?

I think it must be. It might not be the same in practical terms, but it must be… it must exist. Because those moments around a table instill in us so many qualities. We make memories, share experiences, learn the art of sharing and contributing, we feel a part of something, however big or small, it is there, when you are there, around a table.

That is exactly why for me, gathering around a table should always be a special occasion.

* Photo credits to:
Lucy Birkhead Photography,
Adrian Wood Photography,
Deon and Reni Photography,
We.Wedding Photography,
Constantinos and Petros Sofikitis Photography.

The importance of a themed event! Thoughts initiated while admiring “Cirque du Dior”

When planning an event, the absolute first thing you need to decide on is the event theme. A theme is the overarching idea or concept behind your event, that not only gives structure to it and helps to steer all your planning decisions but can also inspire your guests. A theme helps creating a seamless event experience for both us planners and guests.

Maria Grazia Chiuri put together a show that paid tribute to the gender-free figure of the clown and the elements of movement and daring that define the circus.

When you decide on your event theme you must fully commit on it!

You must be consistent with the theme throughout all event areas, such as the invitations, programs, decoration, dress code, food, music, scenography, entertainment, etc.

As per tradition, Dior held the event in the gardens of the Rodin Museum, but this time inside a big top tent with light garlands and a floor covered in powdery-hued diamonds.

During the show, the London-based acrobatic company Mimbre – composed exclusively of women – unfolded a unique performance amid the sashaying models. Eighteen acrobats dressed in outfits specially designed by Maria Grazia Chiuri undertook spectacular and poetic stands that celebrated a strong and liberated femininity. Bodies that shoulder and support each other, hands that join and combine their strength, this was the Dior Dream Parade.

Your theme may be showcasing your character, your style, the reason for the event, things that you like!

Christian Dior loved the circus, and Chiuri created a collection suitable for female ringmasters: Think modern Pierrot collars, animal tamers’ jackets with gold frogging and black tailoring, cutaway tailcoats and rhinestones, full-length tulle gowns with delicate sequin and bead detailing and chic interpretations of the clown outfit.

An event theme can be as detailed or bare as you like; sometimes simply utilizing a lighting color combination to evoke the right emotion is enough to make your mark on guests. Other times grandiose sets are needed to bring your theme vision to life.

Have a look at some details of this amazing collection and how “Circus” elements were incorporated it.

Inspired by animal tamers’ jackets, designs in wool and silk with handmade frogging, were key components of this haute couture wardrobe.

The clover-shaped froggings were made entirely by hand by the famous Lesage atelier.

Necklaces portraying two hands that stretch out and grasp each other symbolized the absolute and vital level of trust that binds the acrobats of the Mimbre all-female company.

Produced in reference to the character of Colombine, the precious close-fitting bonnets were created by Stephen Jones, the House’s longtime milliner. Sparkling like jewels in burgundy, pink, gold or black, they are paired with face veils embroidered with rhinestones, echoing the tear drawn under the eyes of the models of the show.

Another classic, the puffy clown outfit, was revisited as sophisticated playsuits.

The short tulle dresses are enriched with graphic detailing in duchesse satin. Decorated with ruff, they provide the finish touch to joyous, upbeat, and airy silhouettes.

In tribute to the festive stripes that evoke the circus, the Bar suit has been colorfully reinterpreted in pink, burgundy, green or beige vertical bands of satin leather, appliquéd on organza, the delicate and airy material in which this new version of the Dior icon is cut.

A sumptuous pink and gold skirt incorporated the diamond motif of the harlequin costume, which was also delicately deployed on the bustier of two hand-woven silk tulle dresses in powdery dégradé shades, symbolizing the fine dust that settles on stage costumes.

An intentionally imperfect finish often served as a poetic evocation of the wear and tear of stage costumes that have been worn over and over again.

Pleats gave a mobile volume to dresses and skirts. Lightly wrinkled effects – testaments to subtly-handled skill – in iridescent shades underlined the elegance of the looks, while other pleating captured an air of circus magic.

Motifs echoing the harlequin costume’s diamonds swoop down a spectacular dress.

An elephant embroidered in sequins, a lovely little monkey peeking out from under an organza bow, wild beasts prowling on the back of a jacket and a tiger leaping through a ring of fire, such are the animals that populate a collection that pays homage to the circus.

Realized by the Vermont ateliers, a dress studded with tarot motifs is inspired by both the charcoal drawings of Bernard Buffet and Dior embroidery of the 1950s. Embellished with sequins and silk tulle, the delicately embroidered animals and circus characters seem to come to life.

Painting «Les clowns musiciens, le saxophoniste» by Bernard Buffet.

Unitards, with motifs evoking the famous tattooed women of the Victorian circus, adorn bodies with ephemeral calligraphy.

They are revealed under cage dresses, an allegorical symbol of this artistic universe.

At the end of the show there was a general sense that these were clothes that had been pulled out of a fancy dress box and restored for the 21st century consumer.

The success of any event will depend on effective planning and this includes thinking about the look and feel of the event at an early stage. Every event theme needs to be creative, different, imaginative and to stand out!

Designing an eye-catching event theme can be as magical as this dreamy Dior Circus Fashion Runaway that blew our minds away!