Last night, Tuesday 8 November, Shaftesbury celebrated the launch of the new Carnaby Christmas installation with a Christmas Shopping and Dining Party.
Thousands of shoppers attended the free, experiential event, with over 100 retailers, restaurants and bars coming together to offer immersive in-store activations, offers, and interactive workshops.
Visitors were immersed in the brand new Carnaby Christmas lights – a medley of 14 different themes from the past 25 years including an underwater seascape, giant snowmen, space, robins and collaborations with two of the world’s most famous bands; the Rolling Stones and Queen.
Carnaby is world renowned for creating new and unique designs each year for their Christmas installations, attracting thousands of international and local visitors to the area supporting the local businesses over the festive shopping period.
The lights were switched on by DJ Norman Jay MBE and Edith Bowman and hosted by radio presenter Alice Dale.
International and British brands united as a community and included Paul Smith, RIXO, Diesel, The Kooples, The North Face, Sweaty Betty, Vans, Dr. Martens, Barbour. Independent businesses also took part including Annie’s Ibiza, Metal Morphosis, RS No.9 Carnaby and The Great Frog. Timberland provided customers with a free boot cleaning service and DJs performed in-store at M.A.C, Mallet and IKKS Paris.
Restaurants included Marsha, Ugly Dumpling, Bar Crispin, Tapas Brindisa, Jinjuu, The Good Egg, Nightjar, Korean Dinner Party, INO, Crumbs & Doilies, Island Poké and Soho Grind.
Simon Quayle, Shaftesbury Director says, “We are delighted to officially launch the Christmas season in Carnaby. This year, we have created a dynamic medley of 14 different installations from the past 25 years of Christmas in Carnaby. We are also proud to again link with our chosen charity partner, Choose Love, to highlight all the amazing work they do and help them raise much needed funds. We hope that everyone will come to enjoy the much-anticipated display, and many will remember some of their own favourites. The collaborative approach from retailers and restaurateurs creates a winning formula to make this annual event a success, and delivers an exceptional experience for our visitors and locals alike, in this globally renowned destination”.
Josie Naughton, Choose Love founder says: “We are deeply honoured to be supported by our wonderful friends at Shaftesbury again this year through both the incredible light installation and a shop space where we are popping up for November and December in iconic Carnaby. Dropping into the Choose Love shop and buying essential supplies for refugees has truly become a holiday season tradition for so many Londoners and we can’t wait to welcome everyone once again this winter.”
Choose Love has a pop-up at 15-17 Foubert’s Place selling an amazing line up of limited edition products and some life-changing bundles which go to refugees and displaced people around the world who need it most.
The ‘Carnaby Celebrates’ light installation incorporates low-energy LEDs throughout the display, as well as operating on a timer system for the Christmas period to reduce energy consumption.
