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Christmas is right around the corner and New York City is ready to ring in the season. The Rockefeller Center tree is lit, holiday art is being installed throughout the city, and the iconic Fifth Avenue window displays have been put up for another year of dazzling designs and creations! Check out a sampling of NYC holiday windows below.
See the holiday windows yourself on our brand new Christmas in New York walking tour!
Christmas in New York Tour
Bloomingdale’s displays this year are made in collaboration with Warner Bros., transforming their windows into a Willy Wonka-themed wonderland. Adults and children alike can pass the display to see a working chocolate fountain, chocolate drops with a Swarovski crystal trail, and a mannequin of Mr. Wonka himself. The outfits are perfectly abstract and silly, embracing the whimsical nature of the Chocolate Factory. The display is inspired by Warner Bros. new adaptation titled “Wonka” in which Timothée Chalamet plays a young Willy Wonka. Fans of the original 1971 Willy Wonka film, don’t fret! The display features many nods to the classic Gene Wilder film, including the façade of a candy store reflecting the sparkly and swirling set from the movie.
A few of the windows also display a Candy Wonderlandscape with wintery scenes made of custom glass artwork by Abby Modell. These windows feature Swarovski-dotted lollipops, handblown chocolate kisses, giant marshmallows, and rock candy sticks.
Bergdorf Goodman excels every year in choosing a theme that is always slightly odd yet gorgeous. Their theme this year, “Isn’t it Brilliant,” emphasizes everything bright and shiny. Each display has an eccentric collection of sparkly props and shining lights. One window features a mannequin in a beautifully icy dress surrounded by tons of animals resembling disco balls and crystals. All the mannequins are decked out in designer names, including sparkling pieces by Balmain, Alexander McQueen, and Thom Browne. The outfit choices on the mannequins blur the lines between theater, commercial art, and fashion, making these windows a must-see for designer fanatics.
Macy’s is one of the first names that come to mind when we think about the holiday window displays of New York City, afterall they were the first to introduce animated window displays, and they did not disappoint this year! The windows follow the continued journey of Macy’s character, Tiptoe the reindeer, in this year’s theme “Give Love.” Tiptoe can be seen with her friends doing something they love to do together in each window. Every window is a world of its own, using a variety of different holiday materials like wrapping paper and champagne glasses to create toy workshops and musical instruments. The windows are also interactive! Inviting you to sing along to Christmas carols, snap a photo, and press buttons that make magic happen in the scene.
The Saks Fifth Avenue window displays this holiday season follow the fascinating story of Mr. Dior’s first visit to New York in 1947. Miniature figures of the iconic designer are featured in various small-scale scenes detailing the trip that sparked his love for the city. His journey tracks from Paris to New York City, including a mix of references to landmarks and nods to the fashion house, like the Bethesda Fountain being displayed wrapped in Dior’s Bar jacket.
Jennifer Lawrence kicked off the annual Saks Fifth Avenue lights show this past Monday, revealing the holiday windows down the street. Behind a performance from the Martha Graham Dance Company, almost 300,000 lights shined across the “Wheel of Fortune” display that stretches 10 stories over the flagship store.
Cartier takes a different twist on the holiday display tradition, focusing their designs on the façade of their building. Last year the store was wrapped in a giant bow, a symbol of their elegance and sophistication. This year, Cartier has installed a whimsical display of a hot air balloon and clouds, proudly displaying the brand’s name.
The surrounding windows of the store are elegantly decorated with snowflakes and reindeer, beautifully and carefully crafted in the typical nature of Cartier. As the sun sets, the festive lights and decorations shine, creating a gorgeous display of New York in the winter.
There is no way you’ll walk right past Louis Vuitton this holiday season! The tall building is wrapped in a charming scene of a branded car stacked with gift boxes and surrounded by wildlife. Their windows include elegant scenes decked out in that iconic Louis Vuitton logo. The canvas of the store has been used many times in the past, most notably in collaboration with world-famous artist Yayoi Kusama.
Nordstrom decided on a heartwarming theme this year, called “Home for the Holidays.” The decorations are bright and sparkly, reminding us of good times spent with our loved ones and embracing our traditions. The holidays can be a stressful time, and Nordstrom is hoping to create a fun and comforting shopping experience for all with 175 pink, green, and gold metallic trees throughout the store, as well as 47 green trees with pink and green ornaments. There will be 45,000 strings of massive lights, equaling about 85 miles long. Putting the strings end to end would reach over 4,750,000 feet, about the distance from New York City to Jacksonville, Florida.
Join us on December 13th for a virtual tour of NYC’s holiday windows and uncover the history behind this tradition with our Chief Experience Officer Justin Rivers! This virtual talk is free for Untapped New York Insiders. Become a member today!
The Magic of NYC’s Holiday Windows Virtual Talk
Next, check out 10 Secrets of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
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