Fifteen mannequins built entirely out of fresh flowers, each one recreating a Diana outfit, go into Somerset House’s East Wing Galleries from Wednesday 16 September. It runs to 6 October, a portion of every ticket goes to The Diana Award, and the ticket is £34.25.
Fleurs de Villes DIANA is the London edition of a touring floral series, and the premise is more specific than a flower show. Each of the fifteen mannequins is built by a different British florist and each recreates a look Diana actually wore, chosen around the causes she attached herself to: the HIV and AIDS advocacy, the diplomatic dressing on state tours, and the walk through the Angolan minefield in 1997.
What the making actually involves
Claridge’s Flowers built the first one, and the photographs give you the scale of it. The gown is preserved white hydrangea with pink carnation worked through it in bands, petal by petal, over a full-length form. The hair is spun raffia. The tiara is a wire frame threaded with tiny white blooms, and the drop earrings and the wrist bracelet are made of dried flowers too.
Their studio shelf had concept drawings pinned above the flower boxes: one for the hairstyle, one for the shoes, one for a floral clutch bag, each annotated the way a milliner would work. It is closer to costume than to floristry, which is the thing that makes this worth looking at rather than scrolling past.
There are workshops, and a vote
Fleurs de Villes runs daily floral workshops alongside the display, where you make an arrangement and pick up technique to take home. Those are booked separately. Visitors also vote for a Fan Favourite mannequin, and there is a judging panel on opening morning.
Where the money goes
The Diana Award is the charity partner and takes a share of every ticket and of on-site proceeds. It funds paid work and hands-on experience for young people, which is a more concrete use of the money than most exhibition charity tie-ins.
Our take: the £34.25 is the thing to be straight about. That is more than the Courtauld, more than most ticketed shows at Somerset House, and you are paying it for a display you can walk in under an hour. It is worth it if you care about the craft, because a full-length gown built from preserved petals is genuinely a technical feat and photographs beautifully, and the charity share softens the number. It is not worth it if you were expecting an exhibition about Diana, because it is a florists’ showcase using her as a brief. Go on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday evening, when it stays open until 8pm and the galleries empty out after six. And note the opening day is a half day: Wednesday 16 September starts at noon, not 9.30am.
Need to know
- What: Fleurs de Villes DIANA, fifteen mannequins made from fresh flowers, each recreating a Diana look
- Where: East Wing Galleries, Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 1LA
- When: 16 September to 6 October 2026. Sunday to Wednesday 9.30am to 7pm, last entry 6.15pm. Thursday to Saturday 9.30am to 8pm, last entry 7.15pm. Opening day starts at noon
- Price: £34.25 including booking fee. Workshops are booked separately
- In aid of: The Diana Award, which takes a share of every ticket
- Booking: somersethouse.org.uk
- Nearest station: Temple, or Charing Cross
More on this autumn in our guide to London exhibitions, and free alternatives in our guide to London’s free museums.
