THE DECORATING GURU
Dan Cooper of John Lewis & Partners
Known to everyone at John Lewis & Partners as ‘Mr Christmas’, Dan Cooper is the retailer’s festive buyer and the guru behind the vast number of decorations and baubles sold each year. ‘We start working on our Christmas ranges 18 months in advance,’ says Dan, ‘and this is where the fun begins for us. We’ll discuss trends in fashion, design and colour, and then let our imaginations run riot!’ Is there a key to working on such a huge range? ‘Having a guiding thought that links everything,’ explains Dan. ‘In the past we’ve based our themes on fairy-tales, traditions and hobbies. This year it’s all about movements in art, from Post Impressionism to Pop Art. It’s been an incredibly exciting collection to work on, as there’s so much to inspire us,’ he says. When it comes to tree decorating, Dan believes ‘the rules are there to be broken, and it’s supposed to be fun, so don’t put yourself under pressure. Think about it like decorating woodwork. The lights are your primer, the undercoat your plainer baubles and then your favourite decorations form the topcoat!’ In his own home, Dan has ‘a colossal collection of decorations – more than 5,000,’ and dresses a jaw-dropping seven Christmas trees during the festive season – ‘I’d love to find space for an eighth!’ he says. johnlewis.com