Christmas comes to Carnaby Street with pop-ups and installations galore

Christmas is on its way to one of London’s most iconic shopping streets, as Carnaby prepares to unveil its new festive installation and a whole host of beauty activations.

From 6 November, Shaftesbury Capital will launch All is Bright -  a new light scheme that marks the second phase of Carnaby’s five-year sustainable Christmas programme. The project, developed with London-based design studio Sculptivate, will feature over 60,000 programmable LEDs powered by renewable energy.

Expect to see star-shaped gateways, six-metre-long sculptural light forms suspended above the street, and shimmering curtains of light cascading through Kingly Court. For the first time, Carnaby’s famous arches will also be decorated with vibrant visuals, fusing festive tradition with Soho’s reputation for creativity.

The switch-on event will kick off six weeks of festive activity across the neighbourhood, with pop-ups, exclusive launches and new openings from Charlotte Tilbury, Alohas and Cold Culture. Food and drink additions include ALTA, Heard and The Shaston Arms.

Catherine Riccomini, Director of Marketing and Communications at Shaftesbury Capital, said: "Carnaby Street’s ‘All is Bright’ light scheme marks the next phase in our Christmas vision for the street, pushing the boundaries of sustainable placemaking while celebrating the creativity and vibrancy that define Carnaby Street and Soho."

Known for its independent spirit, Carnaby is home to a dynamic line-up of global and local fashion and beauty names, from Ganni, Sweaty Betty and Ray-Ban to MAC, Benefit and Too Faced, not to mention the iconic Liberty London. Earlier this year, Carnaby Street also welcomed blockbuster TALA to the neighbourhood.

Since the 1960s, Carnaby has been at the heart of London’s fashion and music scene - a reputation it continues to build on today through retail and cultural activations.