The best festive displays to see across London
One of the most enjoyable aspects of the holiday season is watching the city transform into a jazzier version of itself, illuminated and adorned with decorations. While we can appreciate a traditional garland and a classic colour palette, it’s always exciting and inspiring to see the more avant garde schemes developed by the creatives enlisted by stores and hotels to decorate their spaces. Here are a few of our favourites to visit if you’re out and about in London over Christmas – ideally with a mulled wine/glass of fizz in hand...
Ashish x The London Edition
A kaleidoscopic explosion of a Christmas tree has taken up residence in the lobby of The London Edition this year. It’s the work of fashion designer Ashish Gupta, known for dressing the likes of Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus in his vibrant, colourful creations that blend high octane glamour with careful craftsmanship. Swathed in tinsel that he has collected over the years, the tree draws inspiration from his childhood in India, where it adorns everything from tea stalls to trucks.
Sparkling with decorative lights in the form of chilis, bunches of grapes and stars, the tree also reflects Gupta’s love for illuminated cities at night and references one of his most memorable catwalk shows where the ceiling was draped in hundreds of fairy lights. The designer says ‘This tree is a consolidation of found/bought treasures but also a cross-cultural exchange. I think it is also a nice way to reflect the nature of hotels – how they are a home away from home for people from other parts of the world.’ A much-needed radical dose of joy in challenging times.
Lucy Sparrow x Diptyque
Diptyque has entrusted its festive decorations to Lucy Sparrow, a British felt artist who blends craftsmanship, eccentricity and a pop art aesthetic to conjure incredibly realistic, charming works out of fabric and thread.
Inspired by the house’s artisanal heritage and its founders’ playful use of materials, not only has Sparrow transformed the Ephemeral Space in the Bond Street Maison into a magical ‘Festive Felt Delicatessen’ where everything from Diptyque’s signature candles to lobsters, caviar and macarons are reimagined in felt work, she’s also designed a pop-up fabric fantasia within St. Pancras International Station to celebrate its limited edition holiday collection.
Sir Paul Smith x Claridge’s
The unveiling of the Claridge’s Christmas tree is the unofficial start of the festive season in London, with design fans eagerly waiting to see who has been given the honour of creating it. This year the responsibility was given to Sir Paul Smith, who brought his famous eye for colour and signature stripes to the process making the 20 foot tree instantly recognisable as his work.
He said, ‘When designing this year’s tree, I automatically thought of a bird house, friendly and optimistic, a symbol of home which reflects the welcoming spirit of Claridge’s.’ He collaborated with British artist Nik Ramage, who made over 100 mechanical birdhouses to perch on the branches and design studio Studiomama were also involved, creating a series of their whimsical ‘Off Cut Creatures’ to sit around the tree’s base.
The designer’s ‘Merrymaker holiday’ fragrance scents the lobby, while birdsong is projected from the tree to create a truly multi-sensory experience for guests crossing the famous black and white floor of the lobby.
Liz West x Granary Square
Rather than actually being a Christmas tree, Fluorescence is a sculpture which reinterprets the traditional shape of a Christmas tree. King’s Cross commissioned the piece from award-winning British artist Liz West, whose immersive installations that mix colour and light blur the boundaries between sculpture, architecture, design and painting.
The 10.7-metre elongated tetrahedron features bold stripes of fluorescent neon colours and monochromatic tones to form a luminous centrepiece that welcomes in the winter season. West says: ‘It’s a joyful artwork that shifts in character from day to night.’
As night falls, UV lights make the installation glow, turning it into a celebratory beacon that can be seen across the busy open urban space.
Montblanc
A Christmas tree made of books, each sharing ‘Happy Holidays’ in different languages, has taken up residence in one corner of Montblanc’s flagship store on New Bond Street. Adorned with custom ornaments, including Montblanc’s iconic ‘Meisterstück’ nib in celebration of the brand’s centenary, the display centres around The Desk, designed by Artistic Director Marco Tomasetta, where shoppers are invited to write and post their holiday messages to loved ones.
Kate Halfpenny x The Londoner
Guests enjoying afternoon tea or a glass of Champagne in the lobby of The Londoner can enjoy the sight of a Christmas tree decorated by Kate Halfpenny. The British bridal designer has reflected the hotel’s commitment to sustainability and her own dedication to conscious design by smothering the tree in blowsy, oversized bows crafted from repurposed bridal fabric offcuts to give it a romantic, regency-style look.
