Now 60 years on from Eloise at the Plaza, Sophie de Rosée chooses the best gifts inspired by Kay Thompson's much loved children's character.
Suite enough This year marks the 60th anniversary of Kay Thompson’s first Eloise book, about a precocious six-year-old who lives in the Penthouse Suite at the Plaza hotel in New York with her nanny, pug Weenie and turtle Skipperdee, while her globetrotting parents are nowhere to be seen. So popular is the character that the Plaza has created the Eloise Suite...with an adjoining Nanny Suite. It is the most booked-out suite in the hotel.
Make very good reads Simon & Schuster is celebrating Eloise’s anniversary with the publication of two new books: The 365 Days of Eloise by the original illustrator, Hilary Knight, comes out this week, followed, on December 1, by Eloise: The Absolutely Essential 60th Anniversary Edition, the original hardback with extra sketches and stories.
Dressing the part British childrenswear designer Rachel Riley has produced a collection of more than 25 pieces inspired by Eloise, using original illustrations by Hilary Knight. ‘The first Eloise story was written in 1955, an era that I love,’ says Riley, ‘so I have really tried to celebrate the glamour of the 1950s with fabrics from the book’s vibrant illustrations. It is exciting to recreate outfits that reflect the irrepressible spirit of this famous six-year-old in a way that is relevant for children today.’