The Kensington introduces Fashion Becomes Tea – an avant-garde afternoon tea inspired by the radical imagination and surrealist elegance of The V&A Museum’s highly anticipated exhibition, Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art. Drawing from the exhibition’s bold visual language and boundary-breaking spirit, the experience transforms haute couture into a sensorial journey of flavour, texture and form. Sculptural pastries, expressive colour palettes and unexpected flavour pairings evoke the drama and artistry of the runway, reinterpreted through the refined culinary lens of one of Kensington’s most elegant hotels.
A celebration of surrealism and craftsmanship, each element of the afternoon tea is designed with the same meticulous attention to detail found in couture ateliers – dramatic silhouettes, playful trompe-l’œil techniques and striking compositions that delight both eye and palate. Among the sweet highlights is Le Choux Shoe, a caramel choux bun filled with apricot gel and caramel chocolate, nodding to the Maison’s iconic upside-down shoe hat, conceived in collaboration with Salvador Dalí, and on display in the exhibition.
The Pink Parfum celebrates the renowned 1937 perfume, ‘Shocking’ , featured in the exhibition, through a ruby chocolate bavarois layered with berry medley and cacao Sablé Breton, while The Iconic Atelier, shaped like an eye, is an homage to the surrealist movement and its impact on couture and culture – with a mandarin curd tart crowned with orange jelly and white chocolate ganache.
Completing the collection is Le Trou de Serrure, an elegant espresso and mascarpone opera gâteau that celebrates Elsa Schiaparelli’s Italian roots and French joie de vivre with inspiration from the original emblems and codes featured throughout the exhibition. The savoury selection offers an expressive mix of both classic and whimsical elements. From cucumber, dill and cream cheese on black sesame charcoal brioche to roasted red pepper with hummus and black olive crumble, alongside coronation chicken with apricot, and a beetroot, pecan and goat’s cheese tart, complemented by the chef’s seasonal ever-changing savoury creation.
The Kensington’s signature scones – both plain and fruit – are served warm with clotted cream and homemade jam. Guests then progress through the series of surrealist pâtisserie creations, each inspired by the theatricality and bold aesthetic synonymous with the esteemed fashion house presented prominently in Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art.
To elevate the experience further, guests may pair the afternoon tea with Le Petite Bisou, a delicate yet intriguing cocktail combining Sauvelle vodka, Amaro Santoni, Champagne, lychee juice and almond and hibiscus cordial, sealed with a contrasting black charcoal sugar lip-shaped garnish. Floral, sparkling and softly bittersweet, the drink arrives in a striking shade of pink.
The K Bar
Beyond the tea lounge, the celebration continues at the hotel’s sophisticated K Bar, where a quartet of surrealist cocktails reimagine classic flavour profiles through playful illusion and unexpected composition. Faux Gelato blends Código Blanco tequila and Del Maguey Vida mezcal with Cocchi Americano, lime, apricot and pistachio, crowned with a cloud-like pistachio foam that dissolves like couture gelato. Trompe-l’Œil appears as a vibrant electric-blue highball yet surprises with tropical rum notes layered with banana, parsley and blue coconut, while Glass of Water offers a crystal-clear cocktail that appears deceptively simple but reveals complex, mysterious flavours upon tasting. Completing the collection, Le Petite Bisou reappears as a refined bar serve – a floral, champagne-topped composition that blossoms elegantly in the glass that is also available as a non-alcoholic serve.
The experience coincides with the landmark exhibition Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art at the Victoria & Albert South Kensington, the first UK exhibition dedicated to the visionary designer. The show charts the extraordinary legacy of Elsa Schiaparelli from the 1920s to the present day, tracing the evolution of the maison and its continued influence under creative director Daniel Roseberry. (Fashion Becomes Art Closes Sunday, 8 November 2026)
Featuring more than 200 objects – from couture garments and jewellery to artworks, photography and archive material – the exhibition celebrates Schiaparelli’s boundary-defying collaborations with artists including Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau and Man Ray, revealing how her surrealist vision transformed fashion into a radical form of artistic expression.
Just moments from the museum itself, Fashion Becomes Tea offers guests a deliciously imaginative extension of the exhibition – where couture meets cuisine, and surrealism unfolds one exquisite bite at a time.
Fashion Becomes Tea Afternoon Tea – Book Here
£65 per person including a selection of Rare Teas
£80 per person including the Le Petite Bisou cocktail or a glass of Charles Heidsieck, Brut Réserve, NV.
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