Designers Christmas Trees 2013

Every year, on the eve of Christmas celebrations, Paris hosts an unusual exhibition of Christmas trees created by hands of famous fashion designers, beauty masters and gastronomic brands. Each tree is an object of art and all income from the auction goes to charity.

The «Les Sapins de Noël des Créateurs» association, founded by a TV journalist and fashion expert Marie- Christiane Marek, this year celebrates its eighteenth birthday. Such famous names as Dior, Louis Vuitton, Sonia Rykiel, Jean-Claude Jitrois, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, Chantal Thomass, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Stéphane Rolland and many others present their Christmas masterpieces at the Hotel Salomon de Rothschild from 4 to 8 December 2013. And after that, on December 9, the designer Christmas trees will be sold at a charity auction, all proceeds of which will be transferred to the Association AVEC, engaged in the cancer research program.

The exhibition hall is reminiscent of a fairytale forest where no tree is like another one: for the simple reason that each sapling is not just a fantasy of a designer, but also an expression of his philosophy, and sometimes is a whole concept in itself. For example, the famous Japanese hairstyle master Massato, who is taking part in the project for the first time, has created an unusually poetic tree, whose branches are decorated with transparent balls, in each of which he placed a strand of hair of a person dear to him. His compatriot, Kenzo Takada, created a spruce of thousands of origami, symbolizing the luck, using red, white and green – the colors of hope. Jean -Paul Gaultier dressed the tree in his trademark corset. Christmas tree of Stephan Rolland is a photo of a theater hall. Dior presented a tree of delicate roses, and Jitrois – in the form of a leather globe, while the lingerie brands – Chantal Thomass and Agent Provocateur pleased us with erotic silhouettes!

And what the designers themselves are dreaming about? What Christmas gift would they like to find under the tree?

“Smiles,” admits Stephane Rolland, “As many as possible! Especially children smiles. After all, there is nothing more beautiful in the world!”

Full of mystery Chantal Thomass counts on a surprise. “People close to me know that I love,” she smiles, “that is why I’m sure that I will like the gift!”

While Jean-Paul Gaultier as a true gourmet would prefer to receive an “edible” gift. “I want a lot of sweets!” almost without thinking exclaims the designer, “something like a rice pudding! ”

And of course we ask the same question to the founder of “designer trees”, their permanent organizer and inspirer Marie-Christiane Marek: “The most wonderful gift for me would be the successful sale of the Christmas trees at the auction and the maximum revenue passed to the good cause.”

This year for the first time it will be possible to take part in the auction by the Internet after the registration at www.drouotlive.com