Designer Christmas trees were auctioned off for charity on December 9 at Paris’ Hôtel Salomon de Rothschild for a total of 78,500 euros.
A tree designed by couture house Dior, made entirely of pink- and purple-hued roses, went for 10,000 euros.
Another made of quirky miniature tea sets in Venetian glass, designed by Zahia Dehar, an Algerian lingerie designer whose nickname is “la scandaleuse,” went for 6,000 euros.
And a tree wearing a lighted corset, designed by none other than the master of corsets Jean Paul Gaultier, was sold for 3,000 euros.
The trees were created as part of an annual non-profit initiative, Les Sapins de Noël des Créateurs, which invites famous designers or artists to create or decorate holiday trees, then displays them in an exhibition over several days before selling them in a charity auction.
Now in its 18th year, the auction is the brainchild of French journalist and broadcast show producer Marie-Christiane Marek, and this year's participants included fashion heavyweights like Kenzo, Louis Vuitton, Diane von Furstenberg and Stella McCartney, as well as lingerie brands Agent Provocateur and Chantal Thomass. And for the first time, edible trees by Michelin-starred chef Yannick Alléno and famous pastry chef Pierre Hermé were also among the lots.
Proceeds from the sale of the trees will go toward supporting the Fondation AVEC, headed by Professor David Khayat, chief of the oncology department at the Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital in Paris, which promotes the fight against cancer. The sale raised 66,000 euros in 2012 and 81,300 euros in 2011.
To see a slideshow of the designer Christmas trees, click here.
