London’s iconic Mayfair hotel radiating festive atmosphere. For a second year running, Claridge’s chose its favourite guests, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, to design the tree in all its glory. The 8-meter high tree celebrates the “children of the world,” featuring a magical woodland theme and brings together all the different cultures from around the world. It features 400 branches, 10 animatronic animals (4 reindeer, 4 rabbits, 2 squirrels), 300 glass baubles hand blown and hand painted in Bellagio, Italy and 9,000 fairy lights.
The tree does not have a traditional angel at its top, but instead has an elaborate brass framework of multicoloured lights. A highlight is the red throne hung with a crown and draped with a gem-encrusted coat (a showpiece from the autumn/winter 2014 menswear collection), which features in the current window displays of Dolce boutiques and symbolises the Norman invasion of Sicily, when Sicilian kings fled for their lives.
Christmas tree took eight hours to build and decorate it in the Claridge’s lobby.
