Summer is in full swing, with much of Europe sweltering in record-breaking heat waves. But that hasn’t stopped Selfridges in London from launching its Christmas store, 149 days before the big day.
On Monday, more than 600 Christmas product lines went on sale in the luxury British department store for the first phase of its Christmas shop.
The shop will sell ornaments, including a ‘Santa on a motorcycle’ model available for £45 ($55), as well as other decorations, Christmas trees and a variety of festive stationery.
The second phase of the shop — where 3,500 lines will be available in total — will open in September, when customers can get their hands on a velvet gold crown tree toppers for £95 ($116) apiece.
Other expensive items include a pre-lit Bedminster fake Christmas tree, on sale for £2,000 ($2,443) in September.
The collection will also feature handmade decorations, including David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust and Prince ornaments.
According to the retailer, the commercial success of the summer launch of the Selfridges Christmas Shop translates into “year-on-year record sales.”
“We’ve been opening the doors to our Christmas Shop during the summer for many years and our customers consider Selfridges a real destination for fans of Christmas and festive decorations within and outside the UK,” Eleanor Gregory, Christmas and home buyer for Selfridges, said in a statement.
Founded in 1909, Selfridges was voted the world’s best department store at the biennial Global Department Store Summits in 2018.
The store on London’s Oxford Street has a shrine-like shoe gallery — the largest in the world for both men and women. In 2014, it splurged a whopping $432 million on creating the world’s biggest accessories department.
Maggie Hiufu Wong contributed to this report.
