schön! and gala bingo at ascot

© Photography by Mario Marino www.mariomarino.com & Galerie Rademakers, Amsterdam & HEIST Gallery London & The Empty Quarter Gallery Dubai

In between oversized headpieces and gentlemen in top hats, Schön! were welcomed to Royal Ascot Ladies Day as guests of Gala Bingo. Ladies’ Day fell on Thursday; with the perfect weather bringing a luxurious experience to the Pavilion rooms for lunch with the hosts, prior to the game play on the racetrack.

Royal Ascot is a British tradition dating back to the 1700s, founded by Queen Anne. Today, Queen Elizabeth II and other members of the Royal family attend the five-day racing event, gracing the track in a horse drawn carriage at the start of each day’s race programme. The prestigious Gold Cup race, in which Queen Elizabeth has her own horses racing, took place on Ladies’ Day, which saw the lawns blanketed in a rainbow of fascinators.

From the classic to the contemporary, the fashion and headwear at Royal Ascot is a prime focus of discussion. Milliners travel far and wide to exhibit their designs, while dress code rulings stipulate that the ladies in attendance must have their headwear on at all times, with gentleman in the Royal Enclosure complementing this aesthetic with mandatory top hats.

The races themselves were a flurry of excitement. With six races taking place throughout the day, the anticipation began with horses warming up before taking their places in the starting gates. The ground rumbled as the horses charged around the looped track, cheers following their movements. Schön! had front row seats at the winning post and in the blink of an eye, the horses darted past and the atmosphere erupted. Then of course, there were winnings to be collected! Bets are made in their millions on the day and the total prize money for owners is now set at an unbelievable £5 million for the event.

Based just outside the capital, the annual tradition is a must for any social calendar. Whether for the fashion or the horses, the stakes are set at a high standard, which we here at Schön! were thrilled to be a part of.