THE PINK BALL | HAPPENINGS | WORLD OF CABANA

Rose-Tinted: Behind the Scenes at the British Museum's Headline-Making Pink Ball 

Sophie Goodwin goes behind the scenes at the British Museum's triumphant Pink Ball, exclusively sharing unique images from the night, and insights into the meticulous detail and creative direction that dazzled London on 18 October 2025.

BY SOPHIE GOODWIN | HAPPENINGS | 23 OCTOBER 2025

Dinner in the Duveen Gallery, British Museum © Grant Walker. Collage (top) © Dan Hall. 

The inaugural Ball at the British Museum, under the helm of its triumphant Director, Dr Nicholas Cullinan OBE, was a true visual feast from beginning to end, placing the cultural institution, and London itself, in a rose-tinted spotlight all weekend. 

Behind the scenes, an A-team of talented and carefully curated creatives translated the director's unique sensibility into a cinematic backdrop: glamour offset with a lot of fun. 

Guests arrived along a double-width blush pink carpet that swept across the forecourt and up the steps to the Museum’s main door. It was encircled by pink LED lighting that illuminated the entrance, casting a vibrant rose glow across the historic stonework.

All images © Dan Hall

The Museum's world-famous Great Hall was abuzz with excitement, chatter and color as 890 glamorously attired guests gathered - under an enormous sparkling lotus flower and a lightscape resembling a reflective pond - to toast co-chairs Cullinan and Isha Ambani as they introduced the headline-making event.

Held to raise funds for the British Museum and its ongoing mission to preserve and protect the world's cultural heritage, the Pink Ball – a nod to the Museum's exhibition Ancient India: Living Traditions – is set to become an annual spectacle. London has a new philanthropic fundraising model on its horizon.

Bespoke patterned linen table cloths were designed in three glorious shades of pink by textile designer Lisa Fine. The New York-based creative is a favorite of tastemaker and businesswoman, Aerin Lauder, who hosted a table in the Museum's Duveen Gallery.

Matching pink napkins sat in each place setting, artfully folded around menus and name cards by master calligrapher, Bernard Maisner. The renowned artisan is another New York find, and was solely responsible for hand-designing all the event's paper works: invitations, menus, seating plans and place names. 

All images © Dan Hall

The seated dinner, an Indian feast served in hand-painted pink tiffin boxes shipped in from India for the occasion, was majestically spread across four of the Museum's most impressive galleries: Duveen, Enlightenment, Nereid and Egyptian.

Floral designer Lil Caldwell of Grandirosa went wild for the occasion, sourcing an abundance of rare oncidium orchids, marigolds, British dahlias, roses, and vanda orchids for vast, show-stopping floral installations. Nearly 12,000 stems covered the institution, bedecking the dinner tables, and filling larger-than-life urns in the Great Court.

Co-creative director, Robin Scott-Lawson, of My Beautiful City, was the mastermind behind the unique and transportive look and feel of the night. He explains “The lighting concept was crucial, which Nicholas (Cullinan) made clear at the outset. We wanted the evening to feel fully immersive, like a film set.”

“Starting with the LED outline at the entrance (my favourite part!) guests were taken on a journey. Scott-Lawson hand picked furniture, made the reflective bars, even sourcing the cafe-style lamps on the dining tables which emitted a warm glow.  “My vision was the single lotus floating within a reflective pond. The tablecloths had a beautiful water-like effect, and I wanted to connect these two worlds. I partnered with lighting guru, Jon Hose, from Light Electric to illuminate the museum in spectacular style. He understands nuance, atmosphere, and sculpting with light better than anyone I know, he helped us achieve something quite extraordinary," says Scott-Lawson, revealing that no directional lighting was used. "There wasn’t an up-light in sight!"

All images © Rowben Lantion

Robin, together with Sophia Pasetti, directed the night's music and memorable performances. The Jules Buckley orchestra defined the entire night, starting with famed sitarist Anoushka Shankar, followed by singers Tom Odell and M.I.A., while The Klaxons' James Righton delivered a DJ set by the Museum’s south staircase. 

As guests mingled post-dinner, Tim Walker’s protege, botanical photographer James Stopforth, was positioned alongside the Assyrian Gates, where he captured traditional Indian-style portraits of guests. Stopforth used key cultural flowers, supported by Blue Sky Printing on bamboo paper from the natural range by Hahnemühle, to create striking portraits, with printer and inks provided by Canon.  

Reflecting on the resounding success of the inaugural ball, Nicholas Cullinan said: "The British Museum Ball was intended to celebrate London - bringing together the actors, artists, collectors, creatives, designers and writers that make our city a cultural powerhouse." Creative minds will already be whirring towards 2026... 

All images © Grant Walker, James Stopforth and Rowben Lantion