British Airways celebrated its love of Milan by taking British supermodels, Suki Waterhouse and David Gandy, out onto the city’s fashionable streets for two very special photoshoots.
These were followed by an exclusive fashion show and a very British afternoon tea experience. Suki kicked off a day of activities to celebrate travel and style by posing in an incredible paper dress inspired by the airline’s heritage colours. It was created by acclaimed British fashion designer and artist, Zoe Bradley, and it took over 100 hours to assemble.
The stunning head piece features real tickets that passengers usually receive at the airport. The dress travelled over 1500 kilometres from Cardiff in the UK to Milan in Italy. Suki, who is 25-years-old, unveiled the hand-crafted masterpiece in front of the famous Cathedral in Duomo Square, flanked by British Airways pilots and crew.
Suki, said: “I was so excited when British Airways asked me to get involved. Zoe Bradley is renowned for her paper dresses! I love the fact that the colours and the shape subtly represent the airline. It’s great to have it customised to me and I think people are absolutely blown away by it. I was just praying it wouldn’t rain!”
Celebrated artist Zoe Bradley – who has worked with the likes of Christian Louboutin, Harrods and Alexander McQueen in the past – created the design with her team at her studio back in the UK. She said: “I wanted to create a design which captured the line of the iconic British Airways logo and really communicated air travel and the link between Britain, British Airways and fashion.”
“Suki is the perfect English rose to model the piece. I love to take on a challenge and when British Airways first approached me with the idea of creating a dramatic dress in paper to be worn by a model, it was a chance to create something truly eye catching.”
At lunchtime, it was the turn of fashion royalty David Gandy to turn heads once more in the Italian fashion capital as British Airways sent him out for a spin in a vintage Jaguar E-Type with a British Airways pilot in tow. The 36-year-old, wearing a beautiful suit took to the streets to visit popular tourist landmarks including Arco della Pace where he stopped to pose for photographs with British Airways pilots and crew.
Speaking beside the Jaguar car David commented that Milan and London have a lot in common. “Both cities are absolutely revered throughout the fashion world – and rightly so,” he said. “The two cities are where models and designers alike want to be and for that reason hold a very special bond”.
Adapted from a press release
