Iaphet Elli 
HARRODS LAUNCHES
CHRISTMAS WINDOWS
This weekend, Harrods celebrates the start of the festive season
by revealing its theme for 2015: “Once Upon a Christmas”
The Harrods Christmas windows on the Brompton Road will set the scene for a world of moving
puppets and performers. Inspired by the store’s “Once Upon a Christmas” theme, each window will feature a stage complete with performers, lights, scenery and red velvet curtains. Meanwhile,
“hidden” beneath the floorboards is a magical world of Christmas mice, with Peter Pumpernickel
returning to lead the entertainment as they play and prepare for their Christmas celebrations.
ALEXANDER WELLS-GRECO, HEAD OF VISUAL MERCHANDISING AT HARRODS, SAID:
“This year, our customers are invited to become the audience and enjoy the festive season’s
ultimate show. We want to continue to engage with families – children in particular. To achieve
this, we raised the windows by 60cm to create the underfloor theatre scenes of Christmas mice
preparing for the festivities, installed directly at a child’s eye level.”
Along the Brompton Road, Burberry’s window depicts its Thomas bears enjoying a night at the theatre, while Balenciaga’s window houses a swinging circus performer who introduces key Christmas accessories from a trapeze. A production line of mice work on Christmas orders in their workshop in the Stella McCartney window, while Bottega Veneta’s AW15 handbag
collection appears alongside the strongman’s weights in the Magical Marionette circus tent.
An oversized gingerbread house created by Rosalind Miller takes over one of Harrods’
windows, delivering a Hansel and Gretel twist. The house stands nearly two metres
tall and three metres wide. Constructed of more than 42 gingerbread tiles (weighing
a total of 40kg) and with around 200 sugar roof tiles, it took 33 hours to bake and
involved 20 hours of hand-piping. Alongside the house, an array of festive fare from
Godiva, East India Company and Ladurée is featured in the wintry forest scene.
To coincide with the launch of the famous Harrods windows, the Festival of Christmas begins on Friday 6th November with the arrival of Father Christmas and the opening of The Harrods Christmas Grotto. Meanwhile, in Hans Crescent, festive characters will be dropping by over the weekend and there will be a variety of entertainment on offer for children. Families can meet Father Christmas’ reindeer, visit Snowball Alley, and have fun with the Wheel of Fortune and a festive photo booth.
In-store, each department will be running a number of activities, including face painting with Disney in Childrenswear on the Fourth Floor; sock monogramming at Pantherella in Menswear on the Lower Ground Floor; and calligraphic personalisation and monogramming across Crème de la Mer products in the Beauty Halls on the Ground Floor.
#HarrodsChristmas
@Harrods
ABOUT HARRODS
Harrods first opened its doors in 1824, starting life as a tea shop in east London.
Since then, it has grown to become the world’s most famous department store,
known for its unrivalled range of luxury products. The store now features more
than 330 departments spread across eight floors and, as well as exclusive brands
and one-of-a-kind departments, has established a reputation for service excellence.
At Harrods, anything is possible.