We were asked by Quintessentially, the high-end concierge members agency, to design an extra special evening for the launch of a new exhibition at the Barbican – The Vulgar, Fashion Redefined. Our brief was an open expression of creativity, exploring the realms of vulgar throughout history, bringing together these expressions as an immersive experience. We were like kids at a candy store.

One condition of the brief was to bring impact whilst remaining thrifty. The Vulgar Ball was a fundraising evening; therefore it was important that we were mindful of costs whilst designing with the wow factor. Naturally, the vulgar leant into this well, as expressions of this theme traverse tastes, so we were able to satisfy the brief by remaining crafty and theatrical. Collaboration was integral, also, with many designers, carpenters, fashion designers and performers coming together to create one of the most impactful and creative evenings we have ever produced.

The party was held in a large blank canvas space which gave huge opportunities to be playful and immersive. Our design was wrapped around the word vulgar and its many synonyms, alternative descriptions, where we physically interpreted the definition of each word. For example, we installed a huge peacock design to represent the word “peacocky,” a vulgar term.

As guests moved through various rooms, the immersion became more and more vulgar. From one room completely covered in pink faux fur to boudoirs with nude models draped in gold, pearls and lounging in bathtubs. This was the ultimate display of opulence, an unadulterated celebration of more-is-more, what some would consider vulgar and what others would consider “fashion-darling”; indeed, at some moment in history, a gold pashmina was banished from society for being too risqué.

Before the call to dinner guests were invited to walk the red-carpet catwalk and to strut their stuff in front of mannequins dressed in fabulous vulgar outfits, awaiting the paparazzi, their moment to shine. Dinner was served in the most colourful way possible. Introduced as a drag ball, with Queens and all the royal pomp one could imagine, the sound of RuPaul blasted out. We dressed each table with an array of immersive objects each reflecting a different description of the word vulgar. These contents were sourced from antique shops, markets, online retailers and in every corner of London, curated on site by our team and turned into an immersive design that truly honoured the theme of VULGAR.

This was one fundraising event that will go down in history.

We provided a full cast of performers to support the event. Characters who adopted personas, in wardrobe that harked back to old vulgar and more contemporary themes, with bespoke wigs and expressive make-up. There was a big presence of drag within the event and music was integral throughout, referencing popular artists such as Madonna and cultural moments within fashion.

Guests were encouraged to dress as flamboyantly and as vulgar as they liked. Each person became a passenger of the experience, adding to the overall immersion and interactivity. Within the event we included games rooms, food stations and a range of touch-elements as texture was an integral part of what constitutes the vulgar movement. Visual expression, joy and nostalgia also played a role.

Bespoke sculpture, armatures and floral design helped to convey various themes throughout the installations. For example, on the ‘yuppy’ themed table, an old phone was created using floral materials. Each table was so different that guests moved around to visit one another.