Dress to Express

Does a grander first day in the World of Interiors office exist than attending the Serpentine Pavilion party? On Tuesday 16 September, editors, contributors and partners alike swarmed Kensington Gardens to honour our wonderful October issue, and my impeccably timed initiation into the WoI digital team meant I plunged straight to the heart of stylishly dressed crowds, ethereal design installations and a few too many canapés.

As the largest of the year, WoI’s October issue is always a cause for celebration, but 2025 saw the magazine make history: it was the first time a person had been printed on the cover. All eyes were drawn to the glossy snapshot of Richard E. Grant’s transfiguration into a magnificent candelabra, now casually scattered across drinks tables as if they were not as desirable as gold dust mere hours ago. This playful costume, along with several others pictured in the issue, was inspired by the seminal 1980s book Jane Asher’s Fancy Dress, and followed the belief that ‘there’s a lot to be said for taking the art of play very, very, seriously’, as outlined by Editor Emily Tobin during her evening address. Flicking through the pages, partygoers also uncovered a cartoonish fantasy world in London, a jewellery-box apartment in Madrid and a restored ancient dwelling on Patmos.

Photographer Derry Moore

The Macallan whisky

As always, the event was hosted at the Serpentine’s annual pavilion exhibition, this year spilling across a capsule-like installation designed by architect Marina Tabassum. Four wooden sculptural forms supported by bamboo poles were constructed to form a seamless harmony between the edifice and the leafy park environment; the result was an airy, invigorating space. Tabassum also intended for her open design to invite conversations and connections, a notion which couldn’t have been demonstrated more gracefully by Tuesday evening’s attendees.

Nor would the festivities be complete without a tipple or two, and the evening’s star drink was aptly chosen for the occasion. Established over two centuries ago, the Macallan distillery has spent plenty of time mastering the art of single malt whisky, and guests sampled their lovingly crafted spirits through fruity infused cocktails and on the rocks.

Below, find all the design-world hotshots who joined us in raising a toast.

Editor Emily Tobin

Set designer Lydia Chan (middle) holds the special October 2025 subscribers issue, which features her London flat on the cover, and fashion journalist Phoebe Shardlow (right)