Printemps Karl Lagerfeld Christmas Window Displays 2011

  Printemps has outdone themselves with Noël Rêves d’Évasion, their 2011 holiday promotion. After years of mediocre window displays alongside the superior presentation of the Galeries Lafayette, the game switched this year. Chanel fashion director Karl Lagerfeld and Vanessa Paradis, actress, singer and face of “Coco” Chanel fragrance, thrilled thousands of bystanders gathered for the grand reveal at the Inauguration des Vitrines. This year the elegant windows of the Printemps flag ship store on the boulevard Haussmann pay homage to Karl Lagerfeld, which must leave the neighboring management of the Galeries Lafayette wondering how they went so wrong with this year’s “Noël Rock ‘N Mode.” Simply put: Printemps shines. Eleven storefront windows display 60 animated puppets: miniature Lagerfelds as photographer, designer and director surrounded by dancing ballerinas and flight attendants made in rue Cambon workshops. The dolls are dressed in classic designs from previous generations that present an understated elegance that out rocks any live concert vying for the window crowds. Enter the store and the elegance is immediate, Christmas comes to life and the magic begins. The fleeting few moments it takes to pass the windows are worth the detour, at least on the western side of the strip. Link to video of Lagerfeld and Vanessa Paradis at Inauguration des Vitrines   View a photo of the Printemps Men’s Store Christmas Window Display by ©Francis Beddok PRACTICAL INFORMATION: Noël Rêves d’Évasion at Printemps until December 31st Tél : 01 42 82 50 00 64, bd Haussmann, Paris 9th No cost to view exterior store window displays Store hours: Monday through Saturday 9:35am-8pm; Thursdays until 10pm Métro: Havre Caumartin RER: Line A, stop: Auber; Line E, stop: Haussman St-Lazare Bus: 20, 21, 22, 24, 26, 27, 28, 28, 32, 42, 43, 53, 66, 68, 80, 81, 94, 95 PHOTO CREDITS: All photos ©Carina Okula except photo of Paradis and Lagerfeld Carina Okula is a photographer and writer who lives in Paris. Please click on her name to read more about her current projects and to view other stories by her published in BonjourParis. Would you like to propose a story? Submit an article or story idea. Subscribe for free and never miss a story. Search our library with 7,200+ stories and 50 original stories published monthly. BonjourParis has been a leading online France travel and French lifestyle site since 1995.   Thank you for using our direct link to Amazon.com every time you shop the world’s largest online retailer. View our Top 100 Bestselling Amazon.com Items. (Wait for Amazon.com widget to load)               Featured selections: Vintage Paris Couture: The French Woman’s Guide to Shopping Born to Shop Paris Suzy Gershman My Little Paris. Chic Shopping Paris. Want more? View our recommended France-themed books & items. Most recent listings at last pages. Direct airport transfer service PARIS SHUTTLE is a leading Paris airport transfer service. Book your airport transfers in advance online for direct to-your-door service and check the current discount available to BonjourParis readers who book using our link.