The season of joy and glittering festivities is upon us and the world’s most iconic cities are beginning to shimmer with festive cheer. As the holiday season casts its spell, the most celebrated brands and department stores across the globe unveil their spellbinding window displays, dazzling passersby with artistry, storytelling, and a dash of Yuletide magic. Before we delve the year’s grand, enchanting showcases, let’s rewind to see where it all started.
The Origins of Holiday Windows
A nostalgic journey through time and tradition, it is a widely-held belief that the first ever significant Christmas window was debuted by Macy’s in New York in 1874. The groundbreaking display featured scenes from Harriet Beecher Stowe’s famous novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, inhabited by various porcelain dolls in costumes from around the world. Since then, Christmas window displays have become a global phenomenon, transforming retail shops into festive, must-visit destinations.
While this tradition has definitely evolved over time, there is no doubt that retailers are getting more elaborate and imaginative with their displays. Here’s a curated tour of the best festive window displays around the globe in 2024 that will leave you utterly mesmerised.
Tiffany & Co, New York City
The famed jewelry brand’s flagship store at The Landmark, Fifth Avenue shines brighter than ever this year, blending Surrealist influences with nature’s sublime shapes to feature Jean Schlumberger’s prominent Bird on a Rock within a snow-swept winter wonderland. The emblematic creation, introduced in 1965, symbolises joy, freedom, and endless possibilities. Featured as a centrepiece is one of the brand’s most notable designs, the iconic Tiffany® Setting engagement ring, highlighting a diamond of over 12 carats.
FENDI, Rome
FENDI celebrates its centenary year in 2025 through festive set-ups that sublimate the Maison’s codes into graphics and playful ornaments. Lighting up the façade of its iconic Palazzo FENDI Roma boutique, for instance, are macro baubles in iridescent colours and various dimensions. In addition, a magnificent festive tree has been placed in Largo Goldoni in front of the boutique, shaped by a mix of the same glassy baubles, striped or solid, coloured in a palette of jolly red, delicate gold, metallic green, and light pink.
Bergdorf Goodman, New York City
American luxury department store Bergdorf Goodman’s spectacular holiday windows in New York City follows the theme Toast of the Town. The five windows, featured in vibrant shades of green, lavender, yellow, red, and blue, are stuffed with knickknacks and honour New York City’s parks, shopping, taxicabs, libraries, and other landmarks, commemorating the energy and glamour of the city. To put these windows together, Bergdorf Goodman partnered with numerous artisans, including a papier-mâché artist and a sculptor.
Galeries Lafayette, Paris
Galeries Lafayette, the popular upmarket French department store chain and the largest of its kind in Europe, recruited designer Kevin Germanier to conceptualise dreamy window displays for the festive season. Partnering with the in-store archivists to source photos of Galeries Lafayette’s windows of Christmas past, Germanier created a window display based off of one from 1959. Light is the main theme of the display, with multiple interpretations like a shimmer from a diamond, warmth of candlelight, and luminosity from a phone.
Bloomingdale’s, New York City
In collaboration with the brand new film starring Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Bloomingdale’s is hosting a Wicked Good Holiday to bring some real magic to the season. Aside from the Wicked themed window displays, visitors to Bloomingdale’s on 59th Street will also be able to experience a Wicked Good Gifts pop-up modeled after Emerald City, as well as an exclusive partnership with AQUA.
Loro Piana at Harrods, London
Welcoming festive enchantment, Loro Piana takes over Harrods with Workshop of Wonders, a magical journey into the Maison’s spectacular history, heritage, and savoir-faire, and a celebration of 100 years of excellence. The takeover comprises a full installation across the famed Brompton Road façade plus 36 windows, two pop-ups, a pop-in, and numerous animations to captivate, engage, and entertain. Workshop of Wonders tells a story of unparalleled mastery that tributes the Maison’s exclusive Masters of Fibers, transporting visitors to faraway lands inhabited by the animals that produce the rarest, finest fibers which are then lovingly transformed into the brand’s exquisite creations.
Saks Fifth Avenue, New York City
This year, Saks Fifth Avenue has decked out its building façade in illuminating garlands to spotlight the structural grandeur of the landmark building. As for the window displays, the American luxury department store chain is turning its focus towards the fashion that it carries. The windows feature exquisite, pastel-coloured designs that are reminiscent of a trove of festive macarons, including highly coveted designers like Oscar de la Renta, Prada, Valentino, LOEWE and more, set against a wintry, crystalline backdrop.
Dior, Paris
Dior goes under the sea this year with its festive decorations and window displays spotlighting ethereal flora and fauna, showcasing a medley of illuminated, oceanic-themed ornaments shaped like seahorses, starfish, corals, crab, and other shellfish. This seems to be a running theme across many of its boutique locations in Europe, including Piazza di Spagna in Rome, New Bond Street in London, and Champs Élysées as well as Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, both in Paris.
Featured image: FENDI
