Christmas is officially on the way — Robert De Niro has decreed it. The legendary actor made a surprise appearance at the Stella McCartney Christmas light switch on yesterday evening, joining McCartney for the festive lights countdown.
Establishing itself as one of the jolliest festive season celebrations yet, the Stella McCartney Christmas lights switch on also featured a performance by Lulu, who performed her cover of Shout by The Isley Brothers while standing on the balcony of the Old Bond Street store, goading the audience into a call and response.
Jokingly dubbed “The Stellabration”, guests enjoyed festive treats from the Papa Salt Gin bar, a Peroni drinks station, and StelloMello marshmallow cart, while wind-powered upcycled neon installations from previous events illuminated the space to highlight the lack of sustainability so often associated with Christmas.
The brand has taken care to remind revellers that the UK produces around 30 per cent more waste during this period, including 289,171 tonnes of cardboard, 125,000 tonnes of plastic, and 500 tonnes of Christmas lights.
Guests included British Vogue editor Chioma Nnadi, Adot Gak, Bel Priestley, Lola Clark, Lady Alice Manners, Louisa Harland, Calvin Demba and Mary Charteris.
The celebration at the Old Bond Street store was a goodbye of sorts. In May, it was reported that McCartney would give up her Old Bond Street location in favour of a new flagship store, with the new location currently unknown. It’s an undoubtedly bittersweet moment for McCartney, who said of it’s opening: “Old Bond Street, it’s probably one of the most prestigious retail locations in the world, it’s an incredible honour for us [to be here]. This store really tells the story of the world of Stella McCartney.”
The store first opened its doors in 2018, following four years of renovation overseen by Stella. The opening night of Stella McCartney’s Old Bond Street shop was a luxe affair, with the store decked out in designer furniture (including a £21,000 original Mario Bellini sofa and rocks shipped down from the family farm in Scotland) and the likes of Kate Moss, Kylie Minogue and Idris Elba populating the guestlist.
McCartney has decided on her new flagship location, which will be revealed to the public at a later date, and is set for opening in 2026.
