House of Peroni's third appearance in the capital took guests on a journey through Italy via its food, fashion and design, with a nod to the year 1963. Report by Kim Benjamin.
What was the event? On 1 May, Event braved the rain to venture out for the launch of the House of Peroni, hosted in an elegant townhouse in Lincoln's Inn Fields and attended by 352 guests. The May residency, a month-long celebration of Italian style and culture, was inspired by Rome and 1963 - the year Carlo Peroni created the Peroni Nastro Azzurro beer brand, and a time when Italy was undergoing a cultural revolution. The launch night kicked off at 7pm and was the third time the event has been held in London.
What was the guest experience? Guests were welcomed onto the terrace area, which had a bar under a blue pavilion inspired by the launch of the 250ml Piccola bottle of Peroni beer. Inside, on the ground floor, were copies of The House of Peroni, Volume Three magazine showcasing the best of Italian food, fashion and design.
Guests wandered from room to room on a journey into the cutting-edge world of Italian culture, while being able to mix with Italian chefs, mixologists and designers, who took over entire rooms with visionary installations. Highlights included an optical illusion wallpaper room and a room dedicated to 3D-printed bottles, based on the new Peroni Nastro Azzurro design.
Drinks were available from three fashionand design-inspired bars on three floors. These included the fashion floor, which housed a black-and-white zebra bar inspired by Italian graphic designer Francesco Grignani. The design-inspired floor, meanwhile, reflected the 'Brutalist' architecture of 1960s Milan and was set out like a miniature concrete cityscape.
Cocktails included Negroni Bottiglia, a contemporary spin on a classic Italian aperitif, and 'Capri' - limoncello blended with tequila, orange and fresh lemon and finished with chilled Peroni Nastro Azzurro. A Rex & Rye concoction was based on the original 'Manhattan' cocktail, but used Peroni Nastro Azzurro bitters to complement the rye whiskey and vermouth.
Guests feasted on canapes by Italian culinary collective Bottega Wapping, including pork and chicken skewers with coconut milk and coriander; king prawns in an avocado skin with a mango and grape salad; and seared tuna steak with a popcorn, honey, soya sauce and ginger crust. The top floor housed a ribbon-shaped table in the restaurant, designed to provide an intimate dining experience and encourage social interaction.
Events were held throughout the month, with workshops including learning Italian barista skills and silk scarf printing. A multicolour dining experience also took place, stimulating the senses with vibrant smells, tastes, textures and colours.
BEHIND THE SCENES
Organiser: M&C Saatchi PR mcsaatchipr.com (020) 7544 3600
Pick of suppliers: Arper arper.com + 39 0422 7918
Bottega Wapping, bottegawapping.com (020) 7481 0095
Sweet & Chilli sweetandchilli.com (020) 7407 4430
ORGANISER VIEW
Tom Johnson, Head of events and experiential, M&C Saatchi PR
Alana Herridge, House producer, M&C Saatchi PR
- What was the aim of the event?
(TJ) To inspire. This year's event built on last year's both in ambition and size. We took over a four-storey Georgian townhouse in Holborn, built four bars, a full a la carte restaurant, a 7.5-tonne steel pavilion with seating, and installed 15 works from Italian fashion and design talent.
- What was the highlight?
(TJ) Seeing the venue come to life. Given that it was empty and previously only used as an office building, it has been so heart-warming to have all the hard work come together and see the venue emerge as an event space for Peroni in central London. The hugely positive reception from guests has been awesome too.
- What was the biggest challenge?
(AH) Before we could even begin thinking about any artist installations, we had to first get the building (which had been vacant for four years) fit for public entry. This involved refurbishing all the walls and ceilings to install a fire alarm system, re-plumbing, rewiring the electrics and repainting the entire 800sqm building. In total, it took us three weeks working 24-hour days.