Claridge’s has kicked off the festive season in dramatic fashion with the unveiling of their Christmas Tree 2024 designed by Sir Paul Smith.
The tree is beautifully adorned with vibrant baubles, colourful ribbons, and 120 bespoke birdhouses. Adding to the magic, a chorus of birdsong fills the air throughout the day, welcoming guests into the hotel lobby.
Hundred festive birdhouses
The British fashion icon presented the tree himself and told the media and hotel guests the story behind his creative process. “When designing this year’s tree, I automatically thought of a bird house, friendly and optimistic, a symbol of home which reflects the welcoming spirit of Claridge’s.” Sir Paul said.
The 78-year-old designer has worked on the project alongside British architect Nik Ramage, who made a series of mechanical birdhouses, and the design studio Studiomama, who created a whimsical wooden ‘Off Cut Creatures’ to sit around the base of the tree.
Adding to the festive design, Paul Smith’s holiday Merrymaker fragrance scents the lobby, and a chorus of birdsong is projected from the tree throughout the day to welcome guests into the lobby of the luxury hotel.
Couture Christmas trees
This is the 16th year Claridge’s has invited a distinguished couture house to reinterpret the tree in its own distinctive style. An extraordinary tradition began in 2010, when the art deco hotel unveiled its first Christmas tree to be conceived by a famed fashion designer. Back then, Dior’s John Galliano debuted an unconventional, crooked, tropical tree complete with a model snow leopard and parrots.
Last year’s tree was created in collaboration with Louis Vuitton. It is made of 15 vertically placed chrome repurposed trunks of varying heights adorned with Claridge’s travel stickers of yesteryear and an oversized Louis Vuitton luggage tag.
Other memorable creations in past years include Christian Louboutin Christmas train carriage, a ‘Tree of Love’ by Diane Von Furstenburg, which was six six-metres tall and adorned with over 8,000 hand-painted silver leaves and glass spheres and an upside down white tree which was masterminded by late fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld.
The Claridge’s Christmas Tree 2024 by Sir Paul Smith will be on display in Claridge’s until the first week of January 2024 and all are welcome to visit.
Image credits: © Claridge’s
