“I just want someone to take cool nonchalant photos of me while I pretend I’m not looking” is I think what I said to Kiera and Holly when we landed into Madrid as guests of UNODE50 to celebrate their 20th anniversary.
And for 2 exhilarating days and 1 night, the three of us took to UNODE50 celebrations like perfectly-accessorised ducks to water. Falling head over heels in love with everything UNODE50, from the heady bespoke scent fed through the venues air vent to the hand beaten chinks of armour I’ve become enslaved to overnight.
T’were this a love story. The breakfast at Palacio de Saldana Palace in Salamanca would qualify as the scene for our first meet-cute.
We spent a whole hour exploring the palace in daylight and hoovering croissants before it was time to leave and check-in to the hotel – albeit reluctantly. Fortunately, we were leaving one Palace for another – winning.
FYI: Madrid architecture will blow your mind – incredibly ornate and shrouded by the most luscious greenery – I think I snap-chatted the entire journey.
We checked into boutique URSO hotel and spa.
My kinda palace!
Huge rooms – enormous beds, white fluffy robes, well stocked rosé – each with a balcony and prime for selfies/chestfies/lots-of-fies. Don’t you think?
Then collectively starving, we realised it was rosé o’clock and took to the streets to explore the area.
Making it to La Manduca de Azagra in 6 minutes.
But lets skip that bit and get back to the party prep – the dress code was cocktail.
I wore a RED Valentino dress with cherries, sandals by Jimmy Choo, my buttery new Chanel bag and finished with Star Tremendous ring, Scales earrings, B12 bracelet all UNODE50.
The party at the palace:
In a nutshell: We arrived to photo-calls and chilled white wine, were ushered into the Palace, made our way through a sea of models voguing on sofas, then arrived at the gardens to the soundtrack of epic house.
Sexy as hell.
Next morning I bounced out of bed ready to seize the day lay dormant til 11 before heading downstairs for check-out.
This isn’t a Cinderella story. There’s more…
Our final date was at the UNODE50 HQ for a peek at where the magic happens and to see how the pieces are made.
The office interiors were predictably edgy, I took a zillion snaps as ideas for home but I loved the concrete floors and especially the heart on a stick. Like J, if you’re reading….
I’m ever so grateful to UNODE50 – the entire trip was incredible from start to end and an experience don’t think I’ll ever forget.
Much love, yours forever…
L x
UNODE50 Jewellery worn:
Speaking of the Devil NECKLACE
oversized knit ALL SAINT (old but this is similar)
silk mini skirt ISABEL MARANT (old but this is similar)
sandals CHLOÉ (last season)
stay close silk top KEEPSAKE THE LABEL
penny shorts SÉZANE
cherry jacquard cocktail dress RED VALENTINO at VERY EXCLUSIVE
sandals JIMMY CHOO
white deep v tee ANINE BING
white lace bra ANINE BING
Photos taken on an Olympus Pen PL7 by me, Holly and Kiera