Among the many high-end shopping malls in Hong Kong, The Landmark is undoubtedly the grande dame of them all. It seems to have been around forever and has managed to keep up with the rapid pace of change in Central. Situated in the heart of the city, it is ideally located for well-heeled financiers and tourists alike, and is the home for many luxury brand flagship stores and fancy eateries, including a 3-Michelin-starred restaurant (there are a total of 10 Michelin stars in the mall).

On my tour of Christmas displays at the local malls, the installation at The Landmark was definitely my favourite. Located in the middle of the Atrium, the display depicts a miniature 1960’s Christmas scene in Paris, complete with clock tower, classic boulevard apartments and cafes, floating hot air balloons, and a rail station fashion show. Many of the figures are animated, their movements and lighting coordinated. The installation was designed in collaboration with Ines de la Fressange, a French model and designer.

Take a closer look and you’ll see great attention to detail, including the hand-sewn clothing and miniature accessories. This is a model-makers dream – someone spent a lot of time building this. Clearly The Landmark has a huge budget for these displays, as befitting the pinnacle of luxury shopping in Hong Kong. Last year they had a somewhat disappointing installation that looked like a giant pinball machine; they redeemed themselves this year and really hit a home run.

If you have the opportunity, go check it out before it’s gone. You can also do a bit of window shopping and admire the lifestyles of the rich and famous.

Happy Holidays, everyone!