Paul Smith and the Royal Opera House are decades-old neighbors, since the British designer opened his first London shop on Covent Garden’s Floral Street, mere steps from the storied London cultural institution, in 1979. Now in the first-of-its-kind style of partnership, Smith and the ROH have collaborated for the festive season, celebrating creativity and cultural heritage. Last night, they unveiled a dazzlingly detailed 18-foot Christmas tree in the light-drenched Paul Hamlyn Hall.
“The inspiration behind the design was to ‘peek behind the curtain,’” Smith shares with Vogue. “All we usually see is what’s onstage, but behind there’s an army of incredibly creative people working tirelessly to pull these wonderful projects together.” As Vogue can attest from a recent visit to the Royal Opera House’s delectable opening night of ballet season, backstage is a treasure trove.
The result is a joyful, detail-rich installation that captures that hidden world of the hallowed theater. Adorned with props sourced from and inspired by the Royal Opera House’s archive —flutes, candelabras, instruments— the tree is also festooned with Smith’s own whimsical touches: antique baubles and accessories in the brand’s signature stripes, green velvet ropes and tassels, and even miniature skiers perched on trumpets and skiers slaloming across the needles. Around its base, wooden crates and ladders in P.S. prints evoke a theatrical work-in-progress.
Photo: Courtesy of the Royal Opera House
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