Until relatively recently, DZD used to get involved in the business of designing and installing Christmas schemes for shopping centres and according to Gosen the reason was simple: "It's a good way of selling a lot of decorations." Self-evidently, malls are big places and as Gosen says: "You need to fill lots of space in shopping centres. That's the most difficult thing to do."

Ultimately, filling that space is a matter both of time and money. Much of the bunting that you see in the best schemes is the result of bespoke treatments that have been designed in the UK, manufactured in China or Taiwan and then imported in time for the festive stampede. Far Eastern manufacturing clearly gives an edge in terms of price, but it does mean that decisions need to made early - a last-minute effort rarely yields the required results.

In the past, DZD has worked with shopping centres and designers to create Christmas schemes. The Tottenham Court Road showroom is very large and the majority of Gosen's customers arrive, "have a look around and ask a lot of questions." He says that in 2005 "budgets were cut and the first thing that was cut was the Christmas decorations."

Perhaps surprisingly, when looked at on a piece-by-piece basis, the pieces at DZD seem to look a good deal more expensive than they actually prove to be.

There are conical Christmas trees, "black, red and white were the favourites last year" all around and these can be anything from four or five feet high to 40ft if there is a requirement for this. All very designerly, but not excessively so: 'A lot of people produce things that are design-led and it goes right over the public's head," as Gosen puts it

DZD's design director, Sonya Storm says that for 2006 long length chandeliers, consisting of chains of strung iridescent beads will be in demand and that they represent a cost-effective way of creating drama without blowing the budget. Then there will be GOBOs (go-befores - devices put in front of a light source to create a pattern on a surface), LED lights and greater use being made of atria, says Storm.

On the question of whether to follow the traditional or contemporary route, Storm and Gosen appear to be at odds. But on a positive note, it appears that shopping centres or those charged with their decoration will be able to find either if they are so-minded. The trick, it seems, is to start early.

DZD: http://www.dzd.co.uk

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