Christian Louboutin Retrospective
Over in Shad Thames the Design Museum are putting on an exhibition that were all very excited about here at ELLEuk. The exhibition will celebrate over 20 years of iconic shoe designer Christian Louboutin and will reveal his designs and inspiration, from his ideas through to their construction, right up to the finished product. Plus, with all his latest comments about not having any sympathy for sore feet after a night out in his creations, we cant wait to see what decadent shoes are on display. Youll even get a chance to ask questions to the man himself on May 24th, when hell be in conversation with Paula Reed. In the meantime, you can tweet your questions in advance to @DesignMuseum #LouboutinTalk, so get thinking.
28 Shad Thames, London, Greater London SE1 2YD; tel: 020 7403 6933
Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park
Few things are more romantic than a summer evening spent at one of Londons brilliant outdoor theatres with a picnic. And finally its that time of year when they all get started again. Our pick of the bunch, though, would definitely be the Regents Park Open Air Theatre. You can book tickets for modern classic Ragtime the Musical on a thrust-style stage from May 18th and then go back again from June 2nd for some Shakespeare (really, theres no better place than the great outdoors to see a production of A Midsummer Nights Dream). Weve got our fingers crossed for good weather...
Book tickets here: Openairtheatre.org.
British Glamour since 1950s at the Victoria & Albert
Another brilliant museum, another brilliant exhibition, from Saturday 19th May the Victoria & Albert Museum will be showcasing their recently renovated fashion galleries with an exhibition of perfectly curated ballgowns, in their Ballgowns: British Glamour Since the 1950s exhibition. The collection, which has been sponsored by Coutts will include Princess Dianas Elvis Dress, a metallic leather dress from Gareth Pugh and evening wear from Zhandra Rhodes and Victor Stiebel. Therell be pieces from , Giles Deacon, and s catwalk shows. And from the 1950s ballgowns to modern day red carpet looks, there are some absolute showstoppers.
Cromwell Road, London, SW7 2RL; tel: 020 7942 2000. Book tickets here: Vam.ac.uk.
Edible Cinema at the Electric
From Secret Cinema, with its real camels at Lawrence of Arabia, to the similarly popular silent cinema, we love that the boundaries of cinematic experience are being pushed all the time. However, the Electric certainly caught our eye this month, with the quite brilliant concept of Edible Cinema. The collaboration between the Soho House Group and experimental food designer Andrew Stellitano involves a screening of Pan's Labyrinth and the opportunity to taste different, carefully sourced foods, textures and flavours that tie in with whats happening on-screen. Multi-sensory cinema? We like.
May 13th, 8.30pm-10:30pm. To book tickets, email: Electriccinema.co.uk.
Museums at Night Festival
If youre not too museumd out from all these exhibitions then wed thoroughly recommend trying out the Museums at Night Festival thats held annually in the capital from May 18th-20th. First up, theres the night in space over at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, then, if its a literary fix youre in need of, archivist Robert Brown will be taking a small amount of people (its not usually open to the public) through Faber & Fabers publishing house from T.S Eliots book reports to a rejection letter written to William Golding. Theres also the brilliant late-shift Draw the Line night at the National Portrait Gallery, where life drawing, music, film and poetry will be taking place inspired by Lucian Freuds portraits. Whichever way you look at it, May is certainly going to be a month of culture.
May 18th-20th. Find out more here: Culture24.org.uk.
Worn out after all this culture? Check out our pick of the best things to do on Sunday in London. Or see our London guide.