Iconic French fashion house Dior has opened a summer pop-up on Selfridge’s fifth floor rooftop and it’s every inch as dreamy as it sounds.
With holiday plans on hold for the foreseeable, I dipped my toes into the next best thing this week at Dior at Alto, the summer pop-up taking up residence atop luxury department store Selfridge’s.
The Dioriviera, as it’s been coined, celebrates “the art of living” with a pop-up boutique, a restaurant serving up a menu of Italian delights – and nothing says “living” like a bowl of slippery, buttery pasta topped with caviar IMO – Dior-inspired cocktails, and Instagrammable decor aplenty. After three lockdowns and a passport that’s taken up permanent residence in my underwear drawer rather than my weekend bag, the sun-drenched pop-up is the closest I’m getting to the Med this year.
The Dioriviera celebrates “the art of living” and nothing says “living” like a bowl of slippery, buttery pasta topped with caviar IMO.
The space has been designed by the House itself and incorporates the “Toile de Jouy” fabric much-loved by Dior’s Creative Director Maria Grazia, as it adorns the scalloped canopy roof, the layers of cushions propped up against chic banquette and rattan seating and even makes its way onto the dinnerware, which, by the way, can be purchased to bring some Dior magic into your own home should you have the budget.
There’s a pop-up boutique with this season’s womenswear collection and various nooks of photo opps, from a cream Vespa complete with Dior emblazoned helmet and luggage to the House’s custom-made deckchairs and a Dior monogrammed surfboard.
But aside from the frivolity of the fashion and the gorgeous aesthetics, the food and drink delivers too. I tucked into chargrilled asparagus topped with truffle and salty parmesan to start; before a plate of tagliolini with sicilian red prawns, doused in butter and scattered with caviar – a welcomed alternative to my now very tired lockdown cacio e pepe.
The menu also features some of Alto’s signature dishes such as truffle and pecorino ravioli, a decadent lobster roll and supposedly some of Monsieur Dior’s favourites.
For dessert: choux buns, plump and oozing with a trio of vanilla, strawberry and lemon meringue are a must-order, all washed down with a reimagined cocktail list in tribute to the iconography of Dior, with names such as the “J’Adior Selfridges” and the “Lady Dior”.
Dior is said to be the designer of dreams but it’s pretty good at making rooftop restaurants too.
Dior at Alto will be open from 3 June to 30 September 2021 at Selfridge’s fifth floor rooftop.
400 Oxford St, London W1C 1JS
Open: Monday – Saturday 12pm-11pm and Sunday 12pm-10pm
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