Afternoon tea is something rather special at the Tea Lounge at the Hyatt Hotel and has all the inclusions you would expect with cucumber sandwiches, scones with cream and jam, and slices, cakes and pastries, plus newbies such as light-as-air macarons, fluffy mousse, and light and creamy panna cotta.

Afternoon tea was introduced in England in 1840 and included thinly sliced sandwiches, scones, and dainty little cakes, and became a fashionable and social event in society; later moving from the drawing room into hotels such as the Ritz, Claridges, and the Savoy. And here in Canberra, the Hyatt Hotel has risen to the challenge, to the extent that when we now think about afternoon tea we choose the Hyatt first. And that’s just what we did.

Catching up with blog friend Ink and Leathers for a chat about food, fashion and life in general, we took ourselves off for afternoon tea at the Hyatt Hotel on one of the hottest days in Canberra, but before we’d had a chance to inspect the cucumber sandwiches we discovered we were there on the same day as Giorgio Armani! Well, the brand at least.

So while we nibbled on our ribbon cucumber sandwiches, miniature filled brioche, and tiny pies and pastries, we were treated to a top-end fashion show at the same time. Designers such as Armani have a limited presence in Canberra, so to see the creative style and elegance of this famous designer—up close and personal, so to speak—was very exciting.

Armani Collezioni includes tailored outfits, sportswear, evening wear, and accessories with a hint of corporate, for both men and women, and the Spring-Summer 2017 Collection features many Armani signature elements with gorgeous fabrics, clean lines, stunning colours, and exceptional detail, fit and finish. Having never owned a piece of Armani (and unlikely to do so …), I didn’t necessarily think the clothing would be my style, but in all honesty the collection would suit any age and any size, and will take you from work, to play, and on to dinner, and even … afternoon tea at the Hyatt!

This is the second time in recent months that I have indulged in afternoon tea at the Hyatt, and, notwithstanding the outstanding work of the Hyatt chefs and their teams, much credit must go to Hotel Marketing Communication Manager, Avon Dissanayake. Avon is working with a wide range of fashion designers, agencies, musicians, social media influencers, dancers, and photographers to create Luxury is Personal for all Hyatt guests—be they staying guests or visitors to The Tea Lounge or Promenade Cafe. His passion for fashionxhyatt events, and their success, is infective—so stay tuned for more exciting happenings from the Hyatt in 2017.

Models from Haus Models. Images by LFWMagazine