Department store window displays are a part of Christmas, whether you are a fan of them or not. The Selfridges Oxford Street store has been developing festive window displays for over 100 years, attracting tourists to gawp at the extravagant displays. This year, the date that the windows will be unveiled is not known but it is usually towards the end of October. The Christmas shop has been open since August, much to the dismay of some shoppers. Let’s take a look at some of Selfridges’ window displays over the years.

2015: Journey to the Stars

2015’s Journey to the Stars display featured the 12 signs of the zodiac. The work on the windows began in September 2014 and the staff took astrology courses to ensure that the displays would be accurate. Each window featured a mannequin representing a star sign, wearing a bespoke headpiece by a designer such as Nina Ricci.

2014: Enchanted Christmas

For 2014, Selfridges focused on the power of storytelling, using fairy tales and children’s storybook tales to create a feeling of enchantment with a Selfridges twist. Rapunzel had pink dip-dyed hair whilst the ‘Ugly Duckling’ wore an AF Vandevorst feather dress.

2013: The Wish List

2013 celebrated all things gifting with giant versions of that year’s most-wanted gifts. The displays included oversized Beats headphones, a giant Charlotte Olympia shoe, Viktor & Rolf perfume, Jose Cuervo tequila and Playdoh- something for all the family.

2012: Not Your Usual Christmas Windows

The 2012 windows featured two fashion icons. On the Oxford Street side, photographer Bruce Weber recreated his Selfridges festive advertising campaign with a teddy’s picnic, giant gingerbread house and miniature ponies. On the Orchard Street side, designer Anya Hindmarch turned her ‘All I’ve Ever Wanted’ runway show into a Santa’s workshop display.

2011: White Christmas

In 2011, Selfridges did the one thing that the Met Office couldn’t and created a White Christmas. The windows were transformed into a magical winter wonderland with a little sci-fi twist. The Yuletide bells represented flying saucers but if that wasn’t cool enough, each window pane acted as an interactive music box, playing Christmas carols without the use of loudspeakers.

2010: Awake the Child Within

For 2010’s theme, Selfridges wanted both adults and children to reach for their inner child. The displays featured Christmas scenes with the likes of Barbie & Ken in their kitchen and Sylvanian Families in a trailer park. The Orchard Street side of windows was dedicated to a modern family Christmas with the “Shoreditch trendy dad” and “PR Queen mum”. One window was dedicated to the charity Kids Company.

2009: Pantomime

2009’s theme was a little ‘out-there’, even for Selfridges. The theme was Pantomime and each window featured classic pantomime scenes with a Christmas twist. Santa Claus pulled Cinderella’s ugly sisters in his sleigh whilst Goldilocks became a drag queen for a Three Bears display. For the launch, stars of the Aladdin pantomime including Paul O’Grady performed for the people passing by. Of course, this was the most fashionable pantomime in town, with the characters wearing Vivienne Westwood amongst other designers.

2008: The More The Merrier

2008 was a historical year for the Selfridges Christmas windows as it was the first time that they had featured Father Christmas in 40 years. The More The Merrier theme seemed to have been incorporated in the fact that the man himself was everywhere…in the barbers getting his beard trimmed, doing his laundry at the laundrette, taking a bubble bath, eating sushi, going shopping and even on the tube.

Who knows what the team will come up with for 2016? We can’t wait to see.

Merry Christmas everyone!