Gareth Pugh designs V&A Christmas installation

Each year to celebrate the festive period, the Victoria and Albert commissions a leading designer to create a Christmas tree for the grand entrance of the museum, and this year the installation has been designed by British fashion designer Gareth Pugh.

Standing at over 4 metres high the installation mirrors the shape of the traditional Christmas evergreen tree featuring nine tiered pyramids that are clad in gold which collect around a central beacon of light to represent an abstract nativity. The arrangement of the mirrored pyramids has been created to suggest a gathering, highlighting the notion of community at the heart of the festive season.

On working with the V&A, Pugh said: “The V&A is a true British icon and a guardian of our cultural heritage. It was an honour to be invited to take part in its festive celebrations. I hope our installation might provide a moment of reflection for those who visit over the next month, and perhaps even contribute a little to the magic of the season.”

Previous V&A Christmas trees have been designed by a number of fashion designers including Alexander McQueen who made a tree from 100,000 Swarovski crystals on polished stainless steel branches, Matthew Williamson who decked the tree with more than 1,000 soft pink velvet and silk chiffon roses, and Jasper Conran, who decorated his tree with 1000 crystal drops inspired by his bone china range.

The V&A’s 2014 Christmas tree by Gareth Pugh will be on display at the museum until January 6, 2015.

Images: Victoria and Albert Museum, London