In 1953, Christian Dior opened his first in-store boutique in Harrods, the start of a relationship between his eponymous Parisian house and the West London department store. Monsieur Dior, a fervent Anglophile who gained renown by dressing British society figures – most memorably, Princess Margaret, a devoted client – would later host proto-runway shows in the store’s Fashion Theatre (opening in 1953, the ‘theatre’ would go on to host presentations from other international couturiers, part of an attempt to reignite the British fashion industry post-World War II).
The relationship between Dior and Harrods has continued over the next seven decades, with the brand’s clothing, cosmetics and fragrances continuously stocked at the department store. Dior has also hosted larger-scale takeovers: in 2013, an 20,000 sq ft display titled ‘Dior at Harrods’ recreated the house’s 30 Avenue Montaigne headquarters on the fourth floor alongside historic dresses, an ephemeral Café Dior and miniature British landmarks hung with Dior accessories, while in 2022, it staged an ambitious gingerbread-themed pop-up which spread across the store, including all 44 of Harrods’ famous Brompton Road windows (Wallpaper* took a look behind-the-scenes at the spectacular).
Inside Dior’s new festive pop-up in Harrods
(Image credit: Kristen Pelou)
And, as the first days of November herald the arrival of the festive season (the past week has already seen the release of a slew of holiday campaigns, collections and Christmas light illuminations), Dior reveals a new ephemeral space inside the department store, themed around its recently released festive film, Christian Dior’s Night in Colour, created by the lauded French director Sylvain Chomet (he is best-known for The Triplets of Belleville, released in 2003, which was nominated for two Academy Awards). A series of the Brompton Road windows also draws inspiration from the 2D animated short.
Starring Louis Garrel, Robert Pattinson, Josh O’Connor and Rihanna, the film unfolds on a ‘snowy winter’s night’ in 1949, when Christian Dior is tasked with making a last-minute dress for Marlene Dietrich (he is helped to make it happen by O’Connor’s anthropomorphic Medallion Chair, a series of magical bees and Rihanna’s ‘Lucky Star’). Despite wide acclaim, the film initially faced criticism for an alleged use of AI, though Chomet later asserted to Variety that no generative AI was used for the campaign, something confirmed by producer Aton Soumache. ‘The reality is that this film took seven months to make and it was entirely drawn by artists,’ he said (Jonathan Anderson, the house’s creative director, also reposted the article).
The space continues to channel the film’s magical spirit: guarded by a pair of life-sized nutcrackers and lined across its facade with twinkling lights and cartoon motifs from the film, the interior features wooden moulding, Versailles parquet flooring and moiré fabric upholstery evoking the traditional interiors of 30 Avenue Montaigne, Dior’s historic headquarters. Another inspiration was the intimate feel of Colifichets, the first Dior boutique in 30 Avenue Montaigne which initially sold curiosities and keepsakes, but would later sell Dior dresses, fragrances, gloves and more.
Colifichets was directed by Monsieur Dior’s friend, Carmen Colle. ‘At first it offered a choice of trinkets, such as jewels, flowers, and scarves, but it was not long until more ambitious projects were undertaken,’ he said of the miniature boutique.
(Image credit: Kristen Pelou)
The Harrods pop-up will largely centre on Anderson’s Cruise 2027 collection, shown in May at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). Wallpaper* called it ‘a Hollywood epic’ that paid ode to cinema’s ‘escapist allure’, inspired by Monsieur Dior’s longtime links with the film industry and its leading ladies, including Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor and Grace Kelly. ‘Christian Dior understood how important the idea of “the dream” was for people after the war, as a form of escapism,’ said Anderson. ‘He explored this in couture, his Surrealist friends were obsessed with dreams and, of course, Hollywood is “The Dream Factory”. It was all part of the same cross-cultural shift.’
Elsewhere, a new collection of ready-to-wear, accessories and homeware draws on Christian Dior’s Night in Colour, with motifs on knitwear and Lady Dior handbags inspired by Bobby, Monsieur Dior’s dog, as well as 30 Avenue Montaigne’s iconic facade. Bag charms also feature various festive figures, from nutcrackers to gingerbread men, while baubles are decorated with Chomet’s illustrations. For those who seek a more personalised touch, these ornaments can be engraved with initials or messages, while a calligraphy service allows you to pen the ultimate Christmas card.
Dior’s new Harrods space is open now until December 27, 2026.
(Image credit: Kristen Pelou)
