MERRY MARIONETTES: “Once Upon a Christmas” is the theme for Harrods in Knightsbridge, where each window is framed with plush red velvet curtains, adorned with lights, and puppet performers.
The retailer raised its windows by 23 inches, and created a theatrical display of Christmas mice for kids to view at eye-level.
One window features Burberry’s Thomas Bears at the theater, while Balenciaga’s window showcases a swinging circus performer decorated with Christmas accessories. Stella McCartney’s window includes a lineup of mice working on Christmas orders, while Bottega Veneta’s fall bag collection was assembled next to the strongman’s weights in the circus tent.
In an ode to Hansel and Gretel, Rosalind Miller’s 88-pound gingerbread house is displayed and surrounded by treats from Godiva, East India Co. and Ladurée in a wintry forest.
“The theme is based around puppetry and theatrics,” said Harrods’ head of visual merchandising, Alexander Wells-Greco. “We have re-created lots of individual theater scenes that follow a narrative. A key target for us this year was to really engage and interact with families, with children becoming the main focus and hero of the season.
“Movement has been included in each and every window to create a magical environment for our customers,” he said, adding that creating the window installation is a 10-night process, involving 110 hours of setup across the 40 windows surrounding the store.