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London's Christmas Windows Unveiled

By Hayley Pedrick
Last updated at 16:25:00 PM on 09 December 2011

In an effort to draw as many potential shoppers as possible into their stores over the festive season, London's major department stores make use of an additional draw card - their main window displays. The window decorators in each store are aware of the tremendous opportunity the festive season presents to showcase their artwork and the decorations are always highly competitive, with close scrutiny paid to rival displays.

A visit to Knightsbridge will illustrate how the major stores there have approached the 2011 season. Harvey Nichols unveiled their windows on 9th November, displaying a theme of Frozen Christmas with props given a finish to appear frozen in ice, creating a winter wonderland complete with an impressive ice queen.

Harrods traditionally put on a major display at Christmas and this year is no exception. The seven windows are themed on "A Crystal Christmas" and are very cleverly arranged. Harrods has partnered with prestigious crystal brand,Swarovski, to design the theme. The magnificent centerpiece is a dress, designed by Ralph and Russo, which has been crafted with 152,000 Swarovski crystals. Designer Tamara Ralph said, "I wanted to create a show-stopping and intricate piece that oozed glamour".

Selfridges in Oxford Street has extended its White Christmas theme into the window displays, focusing on a white-dominated winterscape. The windows are not only beautiful to look at; they can also be listened to this year, adding a new and innovative dimension to the festive experience. Each window pane has been transformed into a music box, complete with touch-screen technology, to allow visitors to play around with the music tracks. Development specialist and creative outfit, Condiment Junkie, explained how the display works: “First, the system plays music through the windows using the glass panes as loudspeakers. Secondly, the system is devised in such a way that, although each window plays a different tune, visitors are able to listen to the track without interference from music being played through the next window”.

Liberty, just off Regent Street, has chosen to focus its 2011 festive window display on the twelve days of Christmas. According to Maxine Groucott, the shop’s head of visual identity, the idea fell out of an initial desire to incorporate the five rings of the Olympic symbol. The displays need to reflect every one of Liberty’s departments, so the “Swans-a-Swimming” are bedecked in fine silver and gold jewelry, while the buckets in the “Maids a-Milking” scene are overflowing with chocolates. Care and attention has been given to even the finest details of the Liberty displays Maxine is particularly proud of the inclusion of the peacock feathers on one of the window backdrops explaining, “Peacock feathers are synonymous with Liberty and all year I have asked staff to sew feathers on the black chiffon backdrop. There are 6,000 feathers in that display”.

Staying overnight in a London hotel allows visitors to really take their time and fully appreciate these majestic window displays. Whilst there is a wide choice of hotels available, a careful search of online booking sites will help secure the best possible hotel at the lowest possible rates. The Chancery Court Hotel in Bloomsbury, for instance, is offering a "Nights & Lights Family Package"