The making of Loro Piana’s magical festive Harrods takeover, ‘The Workshop of Wonders’

The glimmering façade of Harrods has always been synonymous with the festive season, the British department store long embracing the holidays in dramatic – and oftentimes fantastical – fashion. As such, it has become the gathering point for beleaguered shoppers who have found solace in its cavernous, lavishly decorated interiors where it’s near-impossible to leave without a purchase.

As of today (7 November 2024), the Italian fashion house Loro Piana will mine this sense of wonder with an expansive festive takeover, comprising not just displays in all 36 of the store’s Brompton Road, London windows, but two pop-ups and a ‘pop-in’ (more on that later). Titled the ‘Workshop of Wonders’, the takeover promises to marry the brand's own century-long history of craft – Loro Piana began in 1924 from a rich legacy of wool trading that began in the 1800s – with the mood of a buzzing Santa’s workshop, complete with Nutcracker-esque marionettes, fluffy soft-toy animals and wooden toys.

Workshop of Wonders: Loro Piana takes over Harrods

These various tableaus tell the story of Loro Piana’s near-unparalleled production – the house still largely remains known for its world-leading Mongolian cashmere and other so-called ‘noble’ fibres – as cloud-like ‘bales’ of cashmere make their way through fantastical mechanical structures before becoming the precious final product. ‘Each window [tells] the tales of the fibres, communities, and beautiful landscapes that make up the maison’s masterful chain of hands,’ says Loro Piana.

As such, expect hand-knitted clouds, miniature Mongolian yurts, landscapes populated with sheep and goats, alongside traditional cashmere scales, twisting cogs and wheels, and wooden vans balanced with Loro Piana products (each element was crafted with the same savoir-faire as Loro Piana’s products). The windows culminate in a 17m-high tree decorated with swathes of Loro Piana fabric and dotted with the house’s product – ‘the most precious gifts one could ever dream of’. Destinations depicted include Mongolia, Australia and the Andes – where Loro Piana sources its cashmere, merino and vicuña respectively – as well as Quarona, the town in northern Italy where the house’s factory is based.

Inside, there are two special Loro Piana pop-ups, the ‘Door 6 Pop-Up’ and the ‘Door 9 Pop-Up’. The former comprises a display evoking a festive workshop, whereby shoppers can discover pieces which centre on Loro Piana’s craft expertise, from intricately constructed leather goods to baby cashmere beanies, some decorated with bear and thistle motifs, and scarves which can be customised with personalised monograms. ‘Door 6’, meanwhile, is dedicated to gifting: there are stuffed animals and snow globes, wooden puppets and animal-shaped pencil toppers, while guests can even make their own festive decorations (the luxurious take on a craft table will allow people to wrap Loro Piana fabrics around a wreath, tassel, pompon or fairy).

Elsewhere, the so-called ‘Pop In’ boutique is a temporary ‘dreamland’ populated with the house’s offerings for newborns, a soft, enveloping selection of romper suits, hats, warm suits and puffer jackets in cotton and cashmere. A collaboration with the 1963-founded children’s pram producer Inglesina sees perhaps the most luxurious stroller currently on the market – a co-designed stroller-bassinet made from Loro Piana water-repellant linen and cotton canvas and complete with a ‘winter kit’ of a baby mat and matching hand warmers created from a luxurious blend of silk and cashmere. The festive takeover will also herald the opening of a new in-store boutique dedicated to Loro Piana interiors, as well as a new kid’s concession.

Across these various sites is a wealth of other exclusive Loro Piana products for visitors to purchase for themselves or a loved one, making it an essential stop for those who prefer the limited-edition and the one-of-a-kind (well-known territory, no doubt, for the typical Loro Piana customer). The hyper-luxurious line-up – in the house’s words – celebrates both the takeover and Loro Piana’s 100-year anniversary, spanning menswear (tasselled ‘Dot Sole’ loafers), womenswear (hand-embroidered silk gowns; velvet ballet flats) and accessories (the house’s signature handbags in exclusive iterations and colourways), subtly nods towards Britishness in countryside hues of camel and green, as well as equestrian-inspired details and heritage checks.

Other one-of-kind pieces – and a true flex when it comes to gifting – include wooden watch boxes, hand-woven leather-trimmed baskets, and a walnut backgammon set, all available until 2 January, when the workshop is packed up for another year.

Loro Piana’s Workshop of Wonders runs from 7 November 2024 to 2 January 2025.

loropiana.com