
With Halloween just over a week away, the launch of the Selfridges' Christmas windows may seem a little premature.

However, with the spring/ summer collections anticipated to hit the Oxford Street store in just a few weeks, the world famous shopping Mecca is well ahead of the game.

Last night, the in-store's creative team pulled back the vinyl on their much anticipated Christmas scheme and were the first in the world to do so.

FEMAIL was invited behind the scenes to discover the hours of work and umpteen sequins that went into the 12 window displays on London's busiest shopping street.

FEMAIL was invited to view the Selfridges Christmas Windows. The 'Journey to the Stars' themed Christmas window features 12 signs of the zodiac, which took over a year of development

Unlike the storytelling theme of last year, the 2015 windows carry a far less obvious festive narrative influenced by a Journey to the Stars. Fittingly, the store has 12 windows to play with so dedicated them to the 12 zodiac signs.

The work that the creative team put into the windows began in September 2014 before that year's scheme was even unveiled, taking over a year of meticulous planning.

'We take the brainstorming very seriously', reveals Hannah Emslie, the store's senior creative manager.

'Staff working on the windows took courses in astrology at Greenwich observatory and an astrologer came to talk to the team. It's something that we put a lot of time and dedication into as we need the windows to have meaning.'

Unlike the storytelling theme of last year, the 2015 windows carry a far less obvious festive narrative influenced by a Journey to the Stars

Fittingly, the store has 12 windows to play with so dedicated them to the 12 zodiac signs - and it took hundreds of people 30,000 hours to dream up and produce

By 11pm last night, the newly revealed windows were already attracting the majority of passersby. However, with not a Christmas tree in sight, it's a wonder how the team managed to marry the cosmos with festivity.

THE ULTIMATE COMFORT FOOD: INSIDE SELFRIDGES' FESTIVE ROOFTOP RESTAURANT As honest as my eating intentions might be comfort food, not to mention drink is my daily bread as soon as August grinds to a halt. Bizarre, you might think, then to travel up to a rooftop in seek of warming grub to nourish my soul. However, Selfridges’ latest rooftop restaurant installation, Forest is nothing short of a hug for the stomach. The glistening interior of Selfridges' latest pop up rooftop restaurant Decorated with glistening fairy lights, birch trees and antlers you could very well be in a cosy chalet in the Swiss Alps, but the spectacular London skyline is sure to remind you otherwise. Like returning home for Christmas from the big city, the staff are more than welcoming eager to get you seated with a drink in hand as soon as possible. I was treated to a pumpkin Bellini which my co-diner and myself agreed was the most delicious cocktail either of us had ever had – and I am a fussy customer when it comes to Bellinis. Glancing at the menu truffle seems to be the ingredient du jour with shavings scattered among at least three of the dishes, (and with good reason in my opinion). Curious I began my meal with a crab rarebit, which was everything I wanted it to be, a cheesy, carby concoction with a dash of class. I followed it up with the Highland Roe deer fillet accompanied by kale and elderberry sauce. Not considering kale a sufficient side I added the sweet potato tartiflette to my order – a joy indeed but certainly a case of my eyes being bigger than my stomach. The deer was sublime. Melt in the mouth does not begin to describe it, I can’t fault it, kale or otherwise. I was coerced into an apple pie by the waiter for pudding. My dining buddy opted for the chocolate forest and I have to admit my heart did drop slightly when her beautiful desert arrived complete with edible flowers and meringue mushrooms. No matter how aesthetically disappointing the apple pie may have been in comparison it certainly kept me quiet. Finishing the meal with a Fancy Nogg cocktail (pricey but necessary) I left feeling possibly fuller than I do on Boxing day and stupidly festive. A real must for the run up to Christmas or just those that miss a well cooked dinner. Reviewed by Martha Cliff Advertisement

The result see each window feature a very modern take on the zodiac with a mannequin representing each sign, complete with a bespoke headdress from various designers.

Taurus sees a horned mannequin in pleated Nina Ricci storming through a sea of painstakingly balanced heaps of china, which Hannah reveals had not been secured to create a tumbling affect.

Pisces sees three mermaids dubbed as 'the ladies of the lake' each wearing a handmade tail, which took a team of five people two weeks to attach the collection of 1,000 laser cut scales and 1,500 crystals.

In the store's largest window on the corner of Oxford Street and Orchard Street, a large orrery takes centre stage designed to represent the earth's constellation.

The result see each window feature a very modern take on the zodiac with a mannequin representing each sign, complete with a bespoke headdress from various designers

With the spring/ summer collections anticipated to hit the Oxford Street store in just a few weeks, the world famous shopping Mecca is well ahead of the game

The result see each window feature a very modern take on the zodiac with a mannequin representing each sign, complete with a bespoke headdress from various designers

'It's certainly a modern Christmas', said one woman who worked on it. 'We wanted to create a global Christmas because we are a global store and for many people, Christmas doesn't necessarily mean tradition'

It may be spectacular, but compared to its competitors, this display does not feature a single product.

'We are lucky that way', says a spokesperson at Selfridges. 'Most stores don't have a space like this and we can't think of a better way to use it. It becomes more of an art installation, which is far more attractive to customers.'

By 11pm last night, the newly revealed windows were already attracting the majority of passersby. However, with not a Christmas tree in sight, it's a wonder how the team managed to marry the cosmos with festivity.

SELFRIDGES WINDOW HISTORY - Harry Gordon Selfridge was the first retailer to use window displays to tell visual stories using products as opposed to products being used as the main event in a 'pile-them-high' style as it was customary before revolutionised retail when he opened his eponymous store. - His first display – when the store opened for the first time on 15 March 1909 – was based on renaissance paintings by Watteau and Fragonard - Christmas has always been a huge endeavour for Selfridges, from the year one – Harry Gordon Selfridges was American (Chicago-born and raised) and he introduced the powerful and evocative traditions of the US-style celebration of Christmas in retail terms to the UK. Advertisement

'It's certainly a modern Christmas', continues Hannah. 'We wanted to create a global Christmas because we are a global store and for many people, Christmas doesn't necessarily mean tradition.

'Customers do have a certain expectation when it comes to our windows but at the same time we want to make them unexpected and exciting.'

Unexpected it is, with one of the windows featuring Ardbeg - the first ever whisky to be matured in space - and another completed with a headdress that changes colour according to heat.

The out of this world theme seems to be a happy coincidence with the fact that the highly anticipated Star Wars episode 7 film is due to be released in the UK in December. However, Linda Hewson, Selfridges' Creative Director, insists a coincidence is all it is.

She said: 'It wasn't planned! We were aware that the film was set to be released towards the end of the year but it didn't influence our plans and, besides, films get pushed back and we never expected it to coincide with the release.

'It is amazing how these things can just match up though and we will likely see it in other stores, too. I like to think of it as a subconscious collective.'

Although all 14 windows were unveiled last night there is still more to come. The sprucing outside the store is yet to be lit following Westminster Council's ruling for the first year that no store may light their lights until the first of November to coincide with the rest of Oxford Street.

On October 27, an additional feature will be added to the canopy of Selfridges' main entrance as the final flourish to the store's increasingly extravagant display.

There is no doubt it has been an enormous project with a total of 32,000 hours going into the creation of 2015 windows but when it comes to price, the store are keeping their cards close to his chest.

'I can't possibly tell you,' adds the spokesperson 'Let's just say it's very expensive.'

It has taken a total of 178 hours to install the windows, with a team of almost 100 people working on them continuously for 24 hours a day over 8 days, in a rotation of shifts

Almost two tonnes of glitter sand has been used in the windows for the flooring

The spruce foliage used inside the London store around arches and handrails are decorated with over 8,000 metres of LED lights