To celebrate Christmas 2012, we decide to imagine our fantasy Christmas tree, decorated with fantastical fashion decorations. The finished design, illustrated by Tom Baxter, is magical...
To celebrate Christmas 2012, we decided to imagine our fantasy Christmas tree, decorated with fantastical fashion decorations. The finished design, illustrated by Tom Baxter, is magical. The traditional angel is replaced by the delicate antler horn headband from the Balenciaga S/S13 show. Underneath, there is a distinctive thick red Lanvin ribbon, a piece which has quickly become one of the French house's key motifs. Dolce & Gabbana's Sicilian-inspired earrings provide the inspiration for the bauble hanging proudly below. Paper chains nestle below, their shape reminiscient of the iconic double 'c' for Chanel and, at the bottom, the lower branches play host to brilliant tinsel, making a nod to Maison Martin Margiela's Artisinal tinsel jumpers for autumn/winter 2007, alongside a proud Prada robot.
"The traditional angel is replaced by the delicate antler horn headband from the Balenciaga S/S13 show"
The tradition of putting up decorations dates back to the 15th century, when it was customary for every house and all the parish churches to be "decked with holly, ivy, bays, and whatsoever the season of the year afforded to be green". The Christmas tree is considered by some as a Christianisation of pagan tradition and ritual surrounding the Winter Solstice, which included the use of evergreen boughs, and an adaptation of pagan tree worship. The English language phrase "Christmas tree" is first recorded in 1835 and represents an importation from the German language. The modern Christmas tree tradition is believed to have begun in Germany in the 18th century though many argue that Martin Luther began the tradition in the 16th century.
Text by Laura Bradley
