The Designers’ Christmas Tree

The Designers’ Christmas Tree is the idea of Marie-Christiane Marek, ex-presenter of the Paris Mode television programme. She asks well-known figures in fashion, design and architecture to create their own versions of the Christmas tree which are then put on sale for charity. Since 1996 several famous names have taken part, including Stella McCartney, Jean Paul Gaultier and Marc Jacobs. For this year’s 14th edition about 20 artists and labels answered the invitation, and from December 9 to 14 their trees were on display at the Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine (Architecture and Heritage Museum) at the place du Trocadéro in Paris. At the official opening on December 8, the ultra-modern designs sat surprisingly well amid the replica Romanesque portals and Gothic church facades which are the museum’s permanent exhibition. Jean Paul Gaultier’s tree was made of white feathers; Paco Rabanne’s was an assembly of metal mirrors; Gucci offered a creation in gold and chocolate. Other works by Stella McCartney, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, D Squared 2, Ora Ito, Louis Vuitton, Sonia Rykiel and Thierry Mugler stood out with similar originality. The auction was held at nine p.m., its proceeds going via the Carla Bruni-Sarkozy Foundation to the association L’enfant@l’hôpital (The child@the hospital). Set up in 1986, L’enfant@l’hôpital provides equipment and support for sick children so they can continue their studies in hospital. It was one of three associations to which Carla Bruni-Sarkozy donated the dues from her 2008 album Comme si de rien n’était.