Birthday · hatbox-unbox opening

Noir Soirée

Pull the grosgrain: the bow slips, the lacquered lid lifts away, the foil seal tears and the name card rises out of the tissue.

A couture-house birthday invitation, photographed. In a dark limewashed studio a black lacquered hatbox, hot-foil stamped in champagne gold with the guest of honour's name, stands on a honed limestone plinth beside a strand of pearls, tied in ivory grosgrain with a full bow and lit by a single warm softbox. One tap and the bow is drawn off, the lid lifts out of frame as the room falls dark and a warm light rises from inside, the gold seal tears across the tissue, the sheets fold back over the rim and an ivory letterpress card lifts off the tissue and turns up to the guest. Inside: a note from the hosts on cotton card banded in grosgrain, lacquer countdown plaques framed in foil, a noir perfume atomiser that mists the dress code onto a blotter, lacquer programme plates and a reply card sealed in gold.