An ODI (one-day international) between England and India at Lord's has become a test case for whether cricket is the next chic fixture of the summer season. The dress code at Lord's is firmly smart casual, and while fancy dress is banned, playing a little dress-up is perfectly acceptable.
In the Committee Dining Room in the Lord's Pavilion, an exclusive enclave usually open only to members of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), Veuve Clicquot flows from midday and lunch comes courtesy of Michelin-starred chef Tommy Banks. Over in the Presidential Suite, Ralph Lauren co-hosted a glamorous event with the MCC, drawing a crowd of immaculately dressed VIPs as part of the former's Summer of Sports campaign.
The Best-Dressed and the Cricketcore Trend
The best-dressed in the crowd was Indian actor Janhvi Kapoor, in a cream pussybow blouse and brown pinstripe blazer. It is striking that a brand so synonymous with Wimbledon appears to be tapping Lord's as the next fashionable sporting event du jour.
Influencers have started posting "Looks of Lord's" content on Instagram. The trend has been dubbed "cricketcore" — collegiate and preppy but still a little unexpected. British brands such as Kent & Curwen, which began as a university kit producer but has evolved into a London Fashion Week favourite, have this encoded into their DNA. Its last show starred the perfect twist on a classic cricket jumper.
"It has an enduring appeal because it's timeless, effortless and inherently genderless: a piece that is designed to be shared, borrowed and worn in your own way," says a Kent & Curwen designer.
Travel and Hospitality Embrace the Cricket Season
Cotswolds gem The Double Red Duke hosts a cricket match at a local pitch every year, commentated by the hosts of The Go To Food Podcast. In London, Brown's Hotel has launched "The Brown's Season" and can ferry guests to Lord's in its chauffeured Bentley Mulsanne.
Ultra-luxury spot 45 Park Lane has noticed an uptick in cricket fans checking in post-match. "We're seeing a growing trend towards 'sportcations', where travellers are choosing destinations based around major sporting events and then extending their stay to experience the city more fully," says 45 Park Lane's general manager, Lee Kelly.
"Cricket at Lord's remains a significant draw, attracting both domestic and international visitors who want to combine a memorable sporting occasion with London's culture, dining and social scene. This summer in particular, that combination has been a strong driver of interest and reinforces London's position as one of the world's great sporting capitals."
The experience is enough to make one consider applying for MCC membership. Waiting lists are typically more than 20 years, but the MCC is considering fast-tracking memberships for women to address a gender imbalance, especially fitting after a record-breaking summer for women's cricket. The Lord's Ticket Ballot for the 2027 summer opens in early September and closes in late October.
