Out of office: the Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the week

An artistic endeavour

Bill Prince, Editor-in-Chief

Last week Wallpaper* joined the artist Shezad Dawood for the unveiling of his latest work in the public realm, Cascade, two vertical 6m ceramic panels on the restored façade of the original Gaumont Palace on London’s King’s Road. It's been reimagined as The Gaumont, a new creative hub for Chelsea developed by Cadogan as a 220,000 sq ft mixed-use facility featuring a rooftop bar, a cinema, an office, and a residential and retail space that includes a bookshop and hi-fi bar. It's a location Dawood knows well, having been taken there as a child to see Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai. The artist constructed an artwork in fired terracotta that encapsulates the area’s history of creative endeavour, from early experiments in cinema, through to Led Zeppelin, Mary Quant and Vivienne Westwood – a masterclass in memory and materials.

A Mexican escape

Anna Fixsen, US Editor

It may be peak vacation season here in the US, but it was blissfully quiet in Mérida, Mexico, from where I’ve just returned after a ten-day holiday. Unlike the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula, home to traveller hotspots like Cancún and Tulum, Mérida isn’t plagued by over-tourism, meaning the city’s pastel-washed streets and points of interest are unhurried and uncrowded. In fact, we were among just a handful of guests at Hotel Cigno, an elegant and intimate boutique property located in Mérida’s historic heart. After a few days’ soaking up the city’s rich history (not to mention xtabentún, the local firewater), we ventured further afield, paying visits to the dazzling Uxmal, one of the Mayan world’s most important archaeological sites; taking dips in a cenote, the naturally occurring limestone sinkholes filled with azure fresh water; and ultimately, flopping on a white-sand beach at Casa K’u, a tranquil property an hour’s drive to the coast. Perfecto.

Back to school

Nick Vinson, Contributing Editor

Last week I went back to school, enrolling at Hermès’ Academie du Dessin at the Lycée Chaptal in Paris. On arrival, I was given a green coat, placed in the ‘emerald' class and then asked to make my own diorama. I named the work 24 ways to wash a cornichon. We then headed to the playground for a break (it was adults only, so we were served ‘horses-d’œuvres’). After a quick assembly, we learned the art of print, using stamps that were dipped in ink before making their mark on silk. We were then treated to a lecture from Professor Pierre-Alexis Dumas, before dinner – me sandwiched between the artistic directors of Hermès Maison. After dessert, it was the awards ceremony, and I was presented with a diploma. I offered to donate my diorama, which I considered to be a masterpiece, to the maison’s conservatoire, and my diploma was upgraded to a degree with honours in conceptual stage design. Hermès’ introduction to its themes for the year ahead – for 2025, it’s ‘Drawn to Craft’ – was charming.

A Michelin-starred meeting

Ellie Stathaki, Architecture and Environment Director

A work meeting earlier this week brought me to Benares, the Michelin-starred Indian Mayfair restaurant that reopened earlier this year following an extensive refurbishment and full menu revamp. The combination of warm, fresh interiors by Dale Atkinson of Rosendale Design and a mouthwatering culinary experience by executive chef Sameer Taneja made the visit a treat. Offerings included elevated street snacks, contemporary dishes such as oyster vindaloo, and a range of scrumptious, traditional curries.

An evocative exhibition

Gabriel Annouka, Senior Designer

Opening night of ‘LMK WHEN YOU REACH’ by Bernice Mulenga felt like diving headfirst into a collective memory already in motion. At first glance, the gallery feels chaotic: images pinned at unexpected angles, discordant shots. But resilience builds curiosity, and as you lean into the space each photograph emerges on its own terms: powerful, tender, defiant. These aren't rehearsed images, but breathing, living moments charged with care and visible solidarity.

A neighbourhood mooch

Charlotte Gunn, Director of Digital Content

The week was mostly spent bobbing around my neighbourhood of Golborne Road/Ladbroke Grove peeking at all the new openings. There's Frankie's, a cute little wine and charcuterie bar that's just popped up at 331 Portobello Road. Then there's Thomas Straker's new outpost Acre (just across the road from his eponymous restaurant) which I'm eyeing up for weekend brunch. Marvee's Food Shop offers elevated Caribbean food with some truly spectacular sauces, whether they're smothering goat or banana blossom, in an unassuming spot under the Westway. And Eel Sushi – new on Talbot Road – has been packed since opening, I'm told because the sashimi and nigiri is excellent.