In the run-up to Christmas, London is awash with more markets, pop-ups and twinkling lights than you could shake a candy cane at – but this year, one very special takeover stands apart from the rest. In honour of the friendship forged over the past seventy years between Dior and Harrods, the luxury design house has collaborated with the famous department store on an installation set to take your breath away: ‘The Fabulous World of Dior’.
A magical shepherd’s star, floating in front of Harrods’ iconic dome and standing at seventeen metres high – the building’s largest sculpture to date – can be seen from all along the Brompton Road, and is the first sign of what’s to come inside. The store’s exterior alone features no fewer than 44 window displays, each more stunning than the last, and a light installation with stars, roses and other references to Dior.
Walk through the doors, and you’ll find yourself in what feels a little like a giant gingerbread house. Two pop-up stores host exclusive products, displayed on miniature conveyor belts, while replicas of all Dior’s most famous designs – from the Saddle Bag to the Lady Dior – stand proudly recreated in gingerbread, each one decorated with hand-piped ‘icing’. Nothing is done by halves: even the ‘glass’ seen in chandeliers and doorpanes is made from sugar.
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The real treat, however, lies downstairs in the basement, where a free exhibition, entitled ‘Kingdom of Dreams’, explores the world of Dior. Travelling through landmark Dior locations – from Granville to La Colle Noire and 30 Montaigne – in tiny proportions, the exquisitely detailed and ornate universe, made entirely from biscuits and caramel, is a romantic masterpiece.
Watch dressmakers craft Dior’s famous designs, candles shimmer at a dining table set for a party, and even a replica of Christian Dior’s childhood dog gambol in the garden, as light shows and delicate sound effects add to the enchantment.
Nothing could whet your appetite more for a trip to the newly installed Café Dior, which serves up tiny iced biscuits in the shape of Dior’s most famous designs, as well as the most picture-perfect cakes just dying for a spot on your Instagram feed. When it comes to Christmas magic, Dior at Harrods has cast it in spades. The Fabulous World of Dior is open from 10 November 2022 – 3 January 2023 at Harrods (dior.com, harrods.com)
