Killing Time: The Red Dress

COUTTS
... painted gold frame on the window housing the red silk dress ...

I was killing time – an hour of it.

I didn’t want to waste time eating, since I was at Trafalgar Square and I can eat when I am dead. Whoops, that isn't a good idea, since the phrase is, I can sleep when I am dead. But at this moment, being totally present on the street seemed more important that eating.

The National Portrait Gallery had closed and the West End Theatres weren’t open yet.

I walked along the Strand and gazed into the windows – the Cooperative Food store had people lining up at the tills, buying their convenience store sandwiches.

The Prete a Manager diners were at the tables and the window bars. I walked on until I came to a Valentine’s display at Coutts, a wealth management establishment. So why was there an opulent Valentine’s Display in their window. I read the managements's statement beside the window display: “Coutts has a reputation for recognizing and nurturing creative industries”.

... 125 metres of red silk chiffon flowers ...

I was glued to the window of Coutts and reading the artist’s statement that went along with the gown in the window: this is a red silk crepe strapless ballgown the skirt of which is flowered and is created with 125 metres of feathered silk chiffon flowers. The gown took 12 couturiers hundreds of hours to complete in the fashion design house of Ralph and Russo.

Other tourists were running hither and fro.

I stood back on the Strand, taking pictures and thinking to myself ... what a Valentine gift –  to see this dress.

A big wow to that hour on the Strand.

Arta

PS  I was dressed in my jeans and sports fleecy.