Author: Walkowska Aleksndra
Galeries Lafayette store in Paris was opened to the public in 1912. Long tradition, long history, Art Nouveau decorations made the store the second tourist attraction after Eiffel Tower. It is a family business for the last five generations. The business survived through some very troubled times over the last century, from wars to financial crises.
French actress Audrey Tautou opened the Christmas window display in the flagship store Galeries Lafayette on Nov 9th, 2016. The theme was directed by Luc Jacquet is best known for March of the Penguins, Oscar-winning nature documentary in 2006.
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Galeries Lafayette paper Christmas display tells a story of a polar bear family. The entire display including bears is made out of paper the most sustainable material on the planet, created by multidisciplinary artist Lorenzo Papace.
Due to climate change and melting icebergs, a family of polar bears has to leave their native homeland in search of a new place. They are forced to migrate. After travelling for miles across the world, leaving behind the North Pole, they finally find a new place covered in ice and snow, a place they are very safe and comfortable in. The snow land is made especially for them by Galeries Lafayette where the family of vulnerable bears finds a shelter. The magical adventure begins! The bears and the public viewers can enjoy the breathtaking paper display through the Christmas season. The bears are playing, dancing, jumping into the ice inside the store and in the arctic windows. Before they head back to the Arctica.
What kind of environmental damage awaits them there?
A child would ask an infantile question:
– Could they not stay longer or maybe even forever?
– Unfortunately, it is not their natural environment. They can only survive in the Arctic if we take care of the climate if we stop polluting the world if we stop the emission of carbon dioxide if we stop using plastic and other toxic materials.
All generations of humans are responsible for the family of polar bears, as well as any other species, including ourselves. This is the hidden message of the remarkable Christmas display, created in co-operation with Wild-Touch NGO organization which aims to bring more attention to the world on the environment in order to protect our planet.
Unfortunately, our new world leaders are trying to ignore the climate change issue, calling it Chinese hoax. Hopefully, those negative words will only have the very opposite reaction to the public view. More stores and brands should follow the path of Galeries Lafayette in Paris and their involvement in environmental changes where the aim is to raise an awareness on the final consumer.
Making of GALERIES LAFAYETTE Christmas 2016 from Lorenzo Papace on Vimeo.
