Paul Smith’s Claridge’s Christmas tree is a playful slice of ‘countryside in the centre of London’

And so it begins: the unveiling of the Claridge’s Christmas tree has long heralded the start of the festive season, seeing the London hotel – and bastion of British hospitality – drafting a roll-call of the world’s best-known designers and brands to curate the iconic display. There has been an enormous stack of tree-shaped trunks (courtesy of Louis Vuitton) a futuristic crystalline cone (designed by Dior Men designer Kim Jones), and an ensemble of gold and silver umbrellas (by Christopher Bailey, created during his tenure as creative director of Burberry). Others have been designed by Karl Lagerfeld, Alber Elbaz, and John Galliano, among others. Read more at Wallpaper.