Few people could walk into Harrods over the Christmas period and crane their necks up to see twenty-foot cartoon caricatures of themselves peering down from the unmistakable London rooftop. Then again, few people carry the charisma and gravitas that Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana do. The iconic duo have taken over Harrods this Christmas, and I went to check out what the Dolce & Gabbana brand were offering in their incredibly homely Italian marketplace popup.
Immediately what strikes you about the fifth floor is the dedication to detail and intricate colour palette that paint each stand in the room. Fruit carts are adorned with sunglasses and the bakery stands dripping with the iconic Dolce & Gabbana bags. There is almost everything on offer here, from the modern cartoon interpretation of the brand to the old classics that wouldn’t look out of place in a 1950s Italian love story. It is typically Dolce & Gabbana, although some of the collaborations need to be seen to be believed; the £36,000 Smeg fridges carry a hefty price tag and an even heftier place in my heart. These must be the first fridges in the world to be classed as collector’s pieces that may actually appreciate in value.
The real attraction of the marketplace, however, must be the artisan painters who are on hand to personalise your purchased pieces. Clutching my newly acquired bottle of ‘The One‘, my bottle was then coated in a range of nail varnishes to create an iconic regal crown design. Free of charge, this service is a great lasting touch to any Christmas gift, or personal, purchases.
Taking the elevator back down to the ground floor and under the Pula-inspired Italian christmas lights, there is one final surprise from Dolce & Gabbana; the towering Christmas tree. Well worth a look and a great photo opportunity in itself, Harrods are leading the way over the festive period again and, yes I couldn’t resit… it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
