Dior’s latest Harrods takeover brings a touch of animated fantasy to one of London’s most celebrated department stores. Inspired by Christian Dior’s Night in Colour, a festive short by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Sylvain Chomet, the temporary boutique arrives as the house renews a relationship with Harrods that began more than seven decades ago.
Christian Dior opened his first in-store boutique at Harrods in 1953. The designer had a particular affection for Britain and dressed prominent figures in its society, including Princess Margaret, who became a loyal client. That same year, the department store opened its Fashion Theatre, where Dior staged presentations as part of a wider effort to revive British fashion after the Second World War.
The partnership has since extended well beyond the original boutique. Dior’s fashion, beauty, and fragrance collections have remained part of Harrods’ offer, while the house has returned with ambitious installations. In 2013, a 20,000-square-foot takeover recreated Dior’s 30 Avenue Montaigne headquarters, complete with historic gowns, a temporary Café Dior, and miniature London landmarks decorated with accessories. In 2022, a gingerbread-inspired spectacle spread throughout the store, including across all 44 of its Brompton Road windows.
This season, the story begins with Chomet’s hand-drawn film, Christian Dior’s Night in Colour. Set on a snowy evening in 1949, the short imagines Dior racing to create a last minute gown for Marlene Dietrich. Louis Garrel, Robert Pattinson, Josh O’Connor, and Rihanna appear in the film, alongside a cast of fantastical characters: an animated Medallion Chair, a group of magical bees, and Rihanna as the “Lucky Star.”
The film’s whimsical imagery also appears in a series of Harrods’ Brompton Road windows. Inside the pop-up, a pair of life-sized nutcrackers stand guard at an entrance edged with twinkling lights and illustrated motifs. Wooden mouldings, Versailles parquet flooring, and moiré upholstery evoke the refined interiors of Dior’s historic Paris headquarters at 30 Avenue Montaigne. The setting also recalls Colifichets, the intimate boutique Dior opened at the same address. Initially conceived as a place for small treasures such as jewellery, flowers, and scarves, it later expanded to include the house’s dresses, fragrances, gloves, and other creations. The boutique was overseen by Carmen Colle, a friend of the designer.
Harrods’ installation places particular focus on Jonathan Anderson’s Cruise 2027 collection, first presented in May at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The collection draws on cinema’s capacity for escapism and on Dior’s longstanding ties to the film world, including leading actresses such as Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, and Grace Kelly. Anderson has described the idea of “the dream” as central to Dior’s postwar vision, connecting couture, Surrealism, and Hollywood’s image-making.
A new assortment of ready-to-wear, accessories, and home pieces extends the film’s narrative into the festive season. Knitwear and Lady Dior bags feature references to Bobby, Dior’s beloved dog, and to the façade of 30 Avenue Montaigne. Nutcracker and gingerbread-man charms add a playful note, while baubles carry Chomet’s illustrations. Selected ornaments can be engraved with initials or a personal message, and a calligraphy service is available for those looking to add a handwritten touch to their Christmas cards.
The pop-up brings together Dior’s history, Anderson’s contemporary vision, and Chomet’s animated world in a setting designed for the season an invitation to experience the house through fashion, film, and festive detail. Dior’s new Harrods space is open now until December 27, 2026.
