Be prepared to be wowed when you step into the new Mayfair-inspired Londoner Grand at The Londoner Macao. Accompanied by a musical entourage, Insta-fabulous Sparkling Queens waltz through the property’s Shakespeare’s Hall, flaunting eye-catching dresses adorned with dozens of champagne flutes – that guests are treated to. With a clink of glasses, the Londoner Grand journey begins.
The ensembles worn by each queen are exceptional pieces of craftsmanship produced by Sands China’s talented wardrobe and props teams. The aim? To embody Londoner Grand’s luxury living and make each guest feel like a VIP from the moment they enter the new property.
As with every nook and cranny of the stylish Londoner Grand, a lot has been put into the making of each of the show-stopping creations. The two are the result of hundreds of hours of labour, and techniques ranging from meticulous sewing to delicate wood carving.
For instance, there’s the fabrication of a 150-centimetre wide metal structure (which forms the bell-shaped structure of one of the dresses) designed to accommodate nearly a hundred flutes. Or the hand-cutting of over a thousand tiny pieces of mirror, embedded into the gold-painted metal framework to create a mesmerising kaleidoscopic effect. Not to mention the delicate hand-stitching of countless sequins, pearls and beads into the golden lycra fabric sourced from Germany.
Of course, the costumes have to be practical too. They must not only be comfortable enough to wear for hours, but also easy to put on and take off. They also need to enable each queen to glide through the domed atrium with ease – not easy to do when another of the structures, designed to hold dozens of champagne glasses, weighs 20 kilograms alone. (The secret comes in the form of strategically placed wheels at the garment’s hem).
“My team and I challenge ourselves to create something new with every project. These are beautiful new dresses for a beautiful new property,” says Bárbara De Oliveira Dias, associate director of Costume Design and Production Wardrobe, and the mastermind behind the two dresses, who leads a closely-knit team of local talents.
A regal welcome
For this project, De Oliveira Dias started off by researching visual inspirations and sketching multiple versions of the ensembles before they gradually evolved into their final form. Because these pieces will give guests their first impressions of the Londoner Grand, nothing was left to chance.
“Our Sparkling Queens will be a Londoner Grand fixture, and will leave an unforgettable memory on our guests,” says the Macao-bred creative.
She created one dress as a bolder, more architectural structure, comprising a catsuit, a petal-shaped metal embellishment at the waist, and a belted corset crafted from glittering metallic Lycra.“You’ll see lots of gold – it speaks of an opulent lifestyle,” De Oliveira Dias says. Equally dazzling, but featuring a more flowy, romantic silhouette, the second dress is adorned with numerous blooming golden flowers, through which LED lights twinkle. Both pieces are impossible to miss upon entering the Londoner Grand.
The two dresses will also be worn by women with different body shapes – one slender and one curvy – reinforcing inclusivity and body positivity. “Everyone who walks into the Londoner Grand can be a queen – regardless of their background, colour, height or size. Everyone is beautiful in their own special way,” De Oliveira Dias underscores.
Creative synergies
To realise the designs, which feature not only fabric but also the structures to accommodate rows of sparkling champagne flutes, De Oliveira Dias worked closely with Philippines-born Roldan Alangui, senior manager of the Props and Fabrication Department, and his team of local creatives.
The task called for the pushing of creative boundaries. “These two dresses we created for the Londoner Grand are the only ones you’ll see here in Macao, if not the world,” Alangui says.
“We had a dress that we used for special events, and last year Bárbara came up with the idea of creating something new for the Londoner Grand,” explained the University of Macau graduate.
Woodwork, metalwork, fibreglass fabrication, painting, electrical work and a lot more tinkering happens in the basement of the integrated resort, where the props team creates its magic. “Everything you see, from the costumes of the Londoner Guard to the Londoner Queen, is made in-house. We are the only integrated resort in Macao with a wardrobe and props department that is able to accommodate, design and build all attractions in-house,” he proudly says.
Ultimately, the dresses are a testament to the dedication and patience of the creative teams at Sands. “The Sparkling Queens are not only an attraction that blends well with the grandeur and inclusiveness of the Londoner Grand, but one that our guests can interact with by enjoying a glass of bubbly,” Alangui enthuses. “How often does one come across Sparkling Queens?”
