A British Holiday Sight To Behold: Claridge’s Dior Christmas Tree

Photo Credit: Claridge’s
Claridge’s, London’s legendary Mayfair hotel, has unveiled a gorgeous designer Christmas tree, created by none other than Kim Jones, Artistic Director of the Dior men’s collections.

Photo Credit: Claridge’s

This year’s tree, named ‘The Celestial Snow Globe’ evokes the idea of its namesake, an enchanting object of desire, illuminated with magical sparkles and reflecting snowflakes, traveling across the surface of the dazzling tree. State-of-the-art holographic projections are mixed with toile, recalling the emblematic toile of the Dior Haute Couture Ateliers, and traditional pleating techniques are also highlighted, a tribute by Kim Jones to the excellence of the Dior Ateliers ‘petites mains’. These projections radiate from the base, upwards and beyond the tree, creating magical visuals around the space and up the famous staircase, all set against an atmospheric, lit lobby.

Photo Credit: Claridge’s

In another nod to the House’s heritage, the Christmas baubles, that seem to float in orbit around the tree, reflect Dior’s iconic motifs. These include, stars – Monsieur Dior’s celestial good-luck charm – and miniature perfume bottles in the form of Monsieur Dior’s dog, Bobby, who was symbolically reinterpreted and celebrated by Kim Jones for his first Dior show. This whimsical homage to the
House’s founder continues with Kim Jones’s faithful canine companion, Cookie, perched on top of the 6.5 meter tree, delicately hugging Monsieur Dior’s lucky star. The star echoes the shape of the talisman that Monsieur Dior treasured in his office – a decisive sign of his destiny that played a key role in his decision to create his couture house in 1946. Commenting on his installation, Kim Jones said “It has been a great honor for me to have designed the Christmas Tree for Claridge’s this year. I’m excited to kick off the holiday season in such an iconic British institution.”