Catherine Deneuve is ready to get into the Christmas spirit. But is retail?
Is Christmas just around the corner? Unfortunately for all the warm souls out there – and lucky for you, Grinches – not yet. We’ll have to wait a little longer before we can hear Mariah Carey’s and Michael Bublé’s festive tunes echoing through the air or ringing in the malls with joyful bells and Christmas greetings.
So why are we already talking and writing about Christmas? The Christmas shopping season is the most profitable event on the Western calendar, with sales increasing dramatically in almost all retail areas during this period and making it a lucrative business. Its commercial appeal is so high that even the beauty and fashion industries start replacing their drops and ads with festive collections, campaigns and initiatives months before 25 December to capitalise on this time of year, when consumers are most inclined to spend their money. According to Statista, Christmas is “the largest economic stimulus for many nations around the world.”
The Christmas shopping season is the most profitable event on the Western calendar
As reported by The New York Times, the National Retail Federation forecast that holiday spending, both online and in-store, in the US will reach record levels during November and December. This spending is expected to grow between 3% and 4% over 2022, resulting in a total of around $957.3 billion to $966.6 billion. “Holiday retail sales are a closely watched measure of the health of the US consumer,” pointed out the business reporter Jordyn Holman. “Even in tough financial times, the question is not whether Americans will spend during the holidays, but how much.”
What about Europe? The British will spend the most on Christmas shopping, followed by German, French, Italian and Spanish consumers. “In 2023, total retail sales (online and in-store) during the Christmas season are forecast to reach 84.9 billion British pounds in the United Kingdom,” said Statista. “In Germany, retail spending during Christmastime is predicted to reach about £74 billion (more than EUR 85 billion).” In France, people are expected to spend £62.83 billion (more than EUR 72 billion), and in Italy, £37.93 billion (more than EUR 43.5 billion).
Catherine Deneuve unveiled the Christmas window displays at Printemps, kickstarting the festive season in Paris. Photos by Stephane Feugere. Courtesy of Printemps
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, isn’t it? “Throughout the retail sector, the last three months of the calendar year are referred to as the ‘golden quarter’, with some brands generating as much revenue in that period as they do throughout the rest of the calendar year, according to retail strategist Wizz Selvey, as shoppers splurge on their loved ones—and themselves,” BoF reported. That is why both labels and retailers are trying to find new ways to cut through the holiday noise. While the festive season inspires fashion houses to create imaginative holiday tales and campaigns imbued with enchantment, beauty brands are going big with special holiday promotions, gift sets and advent calendars.
Catherine Deneuve at the opening ceremony of Printemps’ Christmas window display on Boulevard Haussmann
What do department stores have to do to stand out amidst this hustle and bustle? The answer is quite simple: big holiday window displays with even bigger celebrities for their opening ceremonies. That’s what happened in Paris as iconic actress Catherine Deneuve kicked off the Christmas season by unveiling Printemps’ Christmas window display on Boulevard Haussmann. This year, the eleven-window display features dozens of paper birds flocking to collect wishes and prepare gifts. The fairy tale set-up took 150 staff members and 3 weeks to complete, requiring 650 hours, 170,000 paper decorations designed by Mathilde Nivet, 3,400 m of fairy lights and 95 puppets.
The next events to enjoy the Christmas spirit include the window display opening ceremony at Galeries Lafayette, which is happening today, with a private concert by French singer-songwriter Juliette Armanet. Another event to look forward to is the switching on of the Champs Elysées Christmas lights on 19 November with actor Gilles Lellouche. It’s safe to say that Grands Magasins and Paris itself always know how to impress.
Clementina Bianchi
Editor