Decor

Snarkitecture analyzed the massive venue and tackled the question of how to accentuate the volume of the space while playing with the height. The solution was to create something that generated a low plane—at certain moments the spheres hung low, creating a "ceiling-within-a-ceiling" effect. The undersides of the balloons came down to 10 feet above guests' heads.

To engage the 70-foot-tall Cipriani Wall Street ceiling, several dozen volunteers, clad in all black to be inconspicuous, deployed a reconfigurable field of the spheres. Each sphere had its own individual performer, whose choreographed movements, as a group, slowly unfolded over a 90-minute time span throughout the course of the evening.

A basic lo-fi system that utilized a number of different points allowed the spheres to function in a choreographed pattern. Volunteers were responsible for their individual piece, moving to a specific height when called upon. Each handler's point was different, resulting in unique patterns.

A total of 44 white PVC balloons, each anchored by nylon rope, created a dramatic backdrop to the gala's black-and-white theme. The seven-foot diameter of the balloons were exactly the same as the 55 round dinner tables.

The tour began in the Departures Lounge, where a flight attendant gave each guest a boarding pass that contained a map, Wi-Fi information, and the event hashtag. The lounge also featured a first-class seat from a British Airways plane, where guests were invited to sit before they took off for their tour.

Floral and event design company Hatch Creative arranged the flowers in the Liberty of London room. The floral display, paired with the black and white backdrop, was designed to look like the entrance to the famous Liberty Store in the English capital.

Sandwiched between two iconic British telephone booths, the "GREAT" structure was made out of foam core. Guests were invited to fill in the blank on stickers that read,  "... is GREAT Britain," and then paste them to the block letters to create a sticker graffiti piece, a trending art form in the U.K.

To become a cab driver in Britain, you must first pass an exam about the history and geography of the area. Guests were invited into the taxi frame by an actor playing one of the notoriously outspoken black cabbies to play the Black Cab Challenge, a series of trivia questions about British culture. Players were entered in a raffle to win two round-trip British Airways tickets and a three-night stay at the Sanderson Hotel.

Highlighting the past culture of the U.K., the "Story of Punk" installation, styled by ExtraExtra creative director Nicky Balestrieri and stylist-designer Vaughan Alexander, featured mannequins with mohawks dressed like the rockers and rebels of the movement. Inspired by icons Malcolm McLaren, Vivienne Westood, and the Sex Pistols, the styles of the 1970s are still very much present in today's trends. A plaque present at the display explained the movement and the "story of punk."

A paper chandelier that hung over a bar featured cocktail recipes that guests could take home, as well as vintage photos of Great Britain and pages from British literature. At the bar beneath, London bartending collective Fluid Movement prepared drinks for guests incorporating Beefeater 24, a new version of the classic gin brand. Two of the collective's concepts, Worship Street Whistling Shop and Purl, performed cocktail-making demonstrations from behind Victorian-style bars.

A British flag was constructed out of 256 hanging blue, red, and white teacups. The wall on which they were arranged separated the Worship Street Whistling Shop bar and the Mad Hatter's Tea room, which offered tastes of the popular tea brand and small bites from Luna & Curious.

Wah Nails, an East London nail bar, offered speedy manicures featuring U.K.-inspired designs like the Union Jack, black-and-white houndstooth print, and other blue, white, and red patterns. Both women and men lined up to get their nails painted.

The walls surrounding the Wah Nails station were covered in cutout pages from British fashion magazines like Dazed and Confused and i-D, similar to the real salon's walls. The pages were scanned and printed as one image on giant sheets of paper and then pasted on the walls as one application.

"The Edible Cityscapes" installation, a table featuring a display of landmarks from England, Scotland, and Wales made entirely out of sweets, was created by New York-based food designer Maeve Sheriden. The London Candy Company provided the confections which included Time Out bars, Jammy Dodgers, Cadbury Crunchie bars, and Digestive Biscuits. Other culinary offerings included tastes of Scotland from the West Village's Highlands Restaurant Group and cheese like Caerphilly, Collier's Cheddar, and Red Dragon from Wales.