Every year, museums, stores, train stations, and hotels around the world invite famous designers, artists, and architects to creatively decorate the Christmas tree and create a festive atmosphere. AESTHETE has collected Most Beautiful Christmas Trees with interesting examples of such collaborations
1 Victoria and Albert Museum
Designer Anna Lomax was responsible for the All Lit Up! light sculpture at the entrance to the Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington. Created by local studio Jailmake, the installation features a spiraling LED piece positioned between the museum’s marble columns. “When thinking about the V&A’s 2025 Christmas tree, I decided to use the iconic V&A columns as a starting point and interpret them as a light show that embodies the spirit of Christmas,” says the designer.
2 Galeries Lafayette
Galeries Lafayette has been decorated with a Christmas tree installed under the dome in the center of the department store, which celebrated its 130th anniversary in September. The installation was created by Kevin Germanier, the author of the Golden Voyager costume for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. The Swiss designer is known for his experiments with recycling clothes, and his desire to minimize the impact on the environment perfectly complements Galeries Lafayette's values of pursuing eco-friendly fashion.
3 Claridge's Hotel x Paul Smith
Every year, London’s iconic Claridge’s invites iconic designers and famous brands to decorate its Christmas tree. In 2024, Sir Paul Smith joins the impressive list, which includes Louis Vuitton, Kim Jones of Dior Men, Karl Lagerfeld, Alber Elbaz, John Galliano and more . The tree, which stands almost six metres tall, is decorated with colourful birdhouses, which are decorated with elements in the form of playing cards and dice. “My wife Pauline and I have been staying and dining at Claridge’s for many years. I wanted the tree to have a rural feel, to give a sense of the outdoors, despite being in the centre of London,” says Smith of the project, which he developed with artist Nick Ramage and Studiomama.
4 St Pancras Station in London
The annual Christmas tree at St Pancras International is more like a sculpture, referencing the Emerald City musical Wicked. The 11-metre-tall installation is hand-painted by 20 master craftsmen and includes more than 100 towers painted gold and green. At the centre of the composition is a diorama of the Land of Oz, with an illuminated yellow brick road and recognisable locations from the famous musical.
5 The Tokyo EDITION x Kengo Kuma
Architect Kengo Kuma has designed Christmas trees that adorn the lobbies of the premium hotel The Tokyo EDITION in Tokyo. The festive art objects are not just decoration, but a manifesto of ecology and art. After the holiday season, these “trees” will be dismantled and transformed into the KIGUMI desk and KOMOREBI table. Each piece of furniture created by Kengo Kuma in collaboration with Karimoku Furniture will indicate the origin of the wood: which forest it comes from.
6 The Connaught Hotel in London
The Connaught’s Christmas tree has been designed by renowned British artist Conrad Shawcross. The tradition of collaborating with renowned artists is now in its ninth year, with previous participants including Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin and Sir Antony Gormley. The 30ft Nordmann Fir from Denmark is adorned with 90 lanterns, all hand-crafted and hand-painted in silver. Shawcross’s artistic style is characterised by mathematical patterns and geometric precision. “I first visited The Connaught as a child in the 1980s, when my stepfather was artist-in-residence there,” he recalls. “Those visits left a lasting impression on me, and creating this tree feels like a return to those roots. I’ve been using light as my medium for over 30 years and am delighted to be able to bring a little magic to this iconic place.”
7 Windsor Castle in the UK
Windsor Castle has already been decorated for Christmas and opened to visitors. According to tradition, Nordmann firs are being installed and decorated in the St George's and Raspberry Halls of the palace. A 6.1-metre-tall tree was chosen for the St George's Hall. It was grown in environmentally friendly conditions nearby, in Windsor Great Park, and will be transplanted back after the Christmas holidays. The tree, wrapped in 3,000 garlands, is crowned with the star of the Order of the Garter, the highest knightly order in Great Britain. The ceiling of the room is covered with shields with the coats of arms of all the knights of the order since 1348, the year of its foundation.
8 Granary Square, London x Liz West
British artist Liz West has created a neon installation in the shape of a tetrahedron in Granary Square, King’s Cross. Situated in front of Central Saint Martins, it stands 10.7 metres tall and features stripes of fluorescent neon. “The scale and vibrant colour scheme act as a beacon that radiates and reflects light across Granary Square. The idea behind the project is about the power and impact of colour and light on us in an urban environment. I hope that my work brings joy to everyone who sees it,” the artist said.
9 The London Edition Hotel
A kaleidoscope of colours and textures was brought to the lobby of The London Edition by renowned fashion designer Ashish Gupta. He was inspired by his childhood in India, where he would decorate the tree with tinsel that his aunt had given him. Gupta delicately combined cultural codes with a playful reference to the ubiquity of tinsel in India, where it is used to decorate almost everything from tea stalls to trucks. The designer used tinsel that he had collected over the years: “My tree is a combination of treasured finds and acquired treasures, representing intercultural exchange. It is a beautiful reflection of the essence of the hotel – a home away from home.”
10 Battersea Power Station in London
Following on from last year’s David Hockney animation , this year’s Battersea Towers will pay homage to beloved claymation characters. A video created by Aardman is projected onto the two 335ft (101m) tall water towers, showing Wallace and Gromit decorating Christmas trees in their own unique style, despite the mischievous interference of Feather McGraw. “This project was a dream of mine – a cinematic fusion of technology and art,” says Gavin Strange, Aardman’s director and head of graphic design. Next to the power station, Malaysia Square has been given a 40ft (12m) Art Deco tree, while Riverside Piazza has a walkway made of giant candy canes.
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