Fortnum & Mason Christmas in 2014 brought window displays, silver trees, hampers and an evening extravaganza to Piccadilly. This Roberts London visit begins before the window blinds are lifted, then explores the Christmas shop before returning for the unveiling.
First published on 4 November 2014, the film includes a gift-buying stop, festive entertainment and the newly revealed windows.
Waiting on Piccadilly
I arrive on Piccadilly before the Christmas windows have been unveiled. The blinds are still down across the ground-floor displays, while the red-brick frontage and familiar clock rise above them. People pass the entrance as the store prepares for the evening.
In the introduction I explain that I have come to see the windows and gather festive pictures for the blog. There is time to look inside first, where a Christmas extravaganza is already bringing shoppers, gifts and entertainment together.
Silver trees inside the store
Inside, the camera looks up through the store’s open interior. Silver Christmas trees stand among hanging decorations, with lights and long strands reaching down from above. The curved balconies frame the view across several levels.
This is the first change of pace from the pavement outside. Before returning to the windows, the film follows a route through the decorated store, taking in the displays as well as the people browsing around them.
The Christmas shop
The Christmas shop is filled with ornaments, baubles and small decorative trees. Silver and white dominate several of the displays, with darker shelving and bright lights behind them. The camera moves between the tables and cabinets rather than staying at the entrance.
In the narration I also mention a lesson in making gingerbread houses. It is one of the details that makes the visit feel like an evening programme, with things to watch and explore while waiting for the main window unveiling.
An Advent calendar and the hampers
I buy an Advent calendar as a gift for my girlfriend. The commentary includes the hope that this seemingly random act of kindness will keep me in her good books during December’s Christmas shopping. It is a small personal errand within the larger visit.
Nearby, the film turns to Fortnum & Mason’s hampers. Wicker baskets, packaged gifts and shoppers fill the frame. I mention an earlier hamper video, then comment on how busy the store is and the buzz around the festive entertainment.
Returning for the window unveiling
The film then moves back towards the windows. Visitors gather close to the glass, with cameras raised to record the displays. One scene places an illuminated pavilion behind the window, framed by an arch and decorative ironwork.
People remain visible in front of the display, so the footage records the act of looking as well as the window itself. The change from the covered frontage at the start is clear: the seasonal scenes are now open to view.
Food and drink in a winter setting
A broad, tiered display holds bottles and festive food, with icicle-like decoration hanging around its edges. Bare branches and railings create a wintry setting behind the products. The arrangement fills much of the window from floor level upwards.
The film gives these displays time on screen, moving closer to some details before taking in the wider composition. Food, drink and serving pieces become part of a theatrical scene rather than appearing as isolated items on a shop shelf.
A snowy scene behind the glass
Another window uses a much paler setting. Snow-like material covers the ground and branches surround a table beneath a dark chandelier. The store’s green window frame creates a strong border around the illuminated scene.
Music continues over this part of the visit. Reflections and passing visitors remain in the glass, reminding us that these are street-facing displays viewed from Piccadilly, with the evening carrying on around them.
The 2014 Christmas visit
The later views bring together gifts, glassware, food and winter decoration. The camera returns to the store’s interior before the closing sign-off, completing a visit that began with the windows still hidden behind their blinds.
First published on 4 November 2014, this film preserves that year’s Fortnum & Mason Christmas extravaganza. For another festive visit from the same season, see Somerset House ice skating in 2014, with Christmas lights and Fortnum’s hampers.
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