Galeries Lafayette invited designer Charles de Vilmorin to create its Christmas decor this year including windows, the central tree as well as collaborate with brands on holiday items.
De Vilmorin designed the tree with lots of light and glass decorations to give the feeling of transparency. “I wanted to play with light and create something not too heavy,” said the young designer. “I wanted to create dreams for people.”
Singer Juliette Armanet performed on a suspended glass walkway at the unveiling.
De Vilmorin created a story around a little girl who likes to paint. On Christmas morning she discovers a magical brush and everything she sketches comes to life from magical birds to swirling stripes.
The character is reflection of his own life as a designer, in which his dreams are put to the page and then come to life on the runway.
“I wanted to create a link between her and me,” he said. The project took one year to complete including the windows and main tree, as well as develop special edition items such as ornaments and rugs, and includes a collaboration with Clinique on a lipstick available through the holiday season.
“It was a huge challenge, because I needed to imagine a story within my universe,” said de Vilmorin of his vision for Galeries Lafayette. “I wanted to create something magical and playful.”
Catherine Deneuve unveiled the windows at French department store Printemps. The department store brought in Burberry for a holiday pop-up. The British brand brought its distinctive check alongside specialty holiday pieces, including a clutch, pink umbrella and a cashmere scarf.
This year’s theme was “Christmas in Paper” at Printemps.
The department store Printemps used paper to create fanciful windows with gardens and animals.
The department store Printemps encouraged people to write their Christmas wishes on paper and hang them on a tree.
Chandeliers from Mathieu Lustrerie illuminate the windows, with 23 pieces in the various displays inside and outside the historical department store as seen on the left. A version of an edition of a chandeliere from Versaille’s Hall of Mirrors, part of the royal collection, is also on display.
In celebration of “l’art de vivre à la Française,” Samaritiane Paris created several food-themed displays. This window is dedicated to Oysters, a traditional French holiday favorite.
Photographer Gab Bois was given carte blanche to create displays in which fashion and food themes interplay.
For the season, Samaritaine Paris partnered with film studio Warner Bros. on a “Wonka” themed display full of giant marshmallows and candy in anticipation for the film’s holiday opening. An unconventional Christmas Tree was reimagined in chocolate.
Paris BHV department store staged a parade with dancers and blow up reindeer to ring in the holiday season.
Dasher and Dancer and a troupe of dancers took over Paris’ rue de Rivoli for the opening ceremony.
The department store built a mini-Christmas market celebrating food. Special workshops are planned throughout the holiday season, including a “tablescape” workshop featuring Elise Dumas and Superchinerie’s second hand tableware, and a pastry workshop with Jeffrey Cagnes.
BHV dedicated windows to forest themes, with a special focus on Canada. The department store went with cozy items this year, including specialty items from Bordallo Pinheiro including squirrel pitchers and mushroom ceramics for a magical woodland feel. In the Canada pop-up there willl be a pancake-making workshop and maple syrup tastings.
Dancers performed in front of BHV for the unveiling of the windows.