Is the D&G & Smeg collaboration the best Christmas window display in Europe?

For window-shopping addicts, Christmas is the most anticipated time of the year as shops all over, from major department stores to independent boutiques call in their most creative dressers to design installations that will make you squeal with joy (and whip out your credit card.)

Nothing new here, it’s being happening for eons, but it never gets unappealing, I love seeing cool, quirky and unexpected set ups so when I stumbled on Rinacentre in Rome over the weekend, a contender for the best Christmas window display in Europe in 2018, I was instantly smitten!

The windows feature mechanical scenarios where puppets of Fashion Designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana are at work, doing everything from measuring up a customer for a bespoke outfit to painting flowerpots, and there are animals involved too. It did the trick as I immediately wanted to peep in store and I wasn’t disappointed.

The -1 floor has been transformed into a total kaleidoscope fantasy world of bold prints and patterns and iridescent, shimmering rainbow lights, aka my idea of heaven.

D&G’s pop-up Christmas Market is a collaboration between the luxury Italian fashion house, domestic appliance brand Smeg and store Rinacentre and it consists of a colourful Sicilian market, illuminated by what feels like fairground lights.

In amongst Dolce & Gabbana’s fashion accessories are goodies from Smeg’s vibrant Sicily is my Love Range, including an utterly fabulous toaster I’ve had my eye on for some time, a kettle and blender…yes, my kitchen needs all of them! The designs on them have also inspired the utterly gorgeous painted furniture that is part of the set that have that same hand-painted, folk art style found on canal boats and truck art.

Look out for shoes and handbags in amongst the fruit and veg stalls, childrenswear surrounded by cream cakes and sweets and even merchandise by the fishmonger. Plus, one of my fave sections a customising zone where you can jazz up your wares with D&G patches. I’ll take one of each…