Abbey Road Studios Christmas

Our festive hand-drawn collection has been lovingly created by award-winning British designer Victoria Eggs. The illustration hosts a number of Easter Eggs relating to artists from Abbey Road’s history, including a reference to The Dark Side of The Moon, Chris Rea in the back of the cab driving home for Christmas, reindeer decked in The Beatles HELP! scarves, 10 hidden EMI tape reels and more. Can you spot them all?

Having visited this London landmark many times as a child, Victoria couldn't be more thrilled to bring such an exciting project to life. Victoria first visited the studios aged just 4 years old and grew up in a house where music filled the rooms... the sounds of The Beetles, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and Eric Clapton. Music was, and continues to be, a huge part of her life.

Victoria visited the store last week and was amazed at the product display and the illustrations adorning the shop. Individual elements from the intricate design have been enlarged and placed around the store creating a festive atmosphere. It was a proud moment seeing my drawings come to life.

The Abbey Road Studios are an integral part of the physical and musical landscape of London. Top talent has been born in its hallowed halls — from Pink Floyd to Florence + The Machine and, of course, the infamous Beatles. Even the zebra crossing by the studios gained notoriety, with hundreds visiting the location every day, thanks to The Beatles’ “Abbey Road” album cover. The studio has a long history of creative and technological pioneering, creating a whole new name for radio and recording.

The studio first opened its doors in 1931 and was the first of its kind — the world’s first purpose-built recording studio — under the name of EMI Recording Studios. Though their infamy has become synonymous with that of The Beatles, who auditioned and were signed with EMI Recording Studios in 1962, the studios have so much more history and depth to offer if you just dig into it a bit more. In 1937, the studios recorded the coronation of King George VI, using a private telephone line and a feed from the Westminster Abbey BBC control room. During World War II, the studios remained open and became an integral form of entertainment for the troops. Continuing the recording tradition, the studios record the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

The ever-popular Beatles’ album “Abbey Road” was released in 1969, and in 1970, following the infamy of the album and the road, the EMI Recording Studios officially renamed themselves as Abbey Road Studios. Throughout the years, bands such as Pink Floyd and Radiohead, and artists like Amy Winehouse, Lady Gaga, and Frank Ocean, have recorded in the studios.

With so much history and accomplishments under its belt, Victoria Eggs is proud to have created a special design exclusively for the studios. The intricately hand-drawn design features many details unique to the history and significance of Abbey Road Studios, creating a musical scavenger hunt across its stokes.
"It was such a proud moment when I saw the bespoke collection on the shelves for the first time. I took my four year old daughter with me and it was a real full circle moment. It's been one of the most interesting designs I've ever had the pleasure of creating; a Christmas design which includes an Easter Egg hunt about the incredible history and significance of Abbey Road Studios."

Abbey Road Studios takes centre stage in the design and is surrounded by an array of buildings which line the street; these have been rearranged to encapsulate the surrounding area.

Driving down the road is a black taxi, with singer Chris Rea sitting in the back seat. Rea wrote his famous hit “Driving Home For Christmas” whilst in the back of a black cab on his way home from a day recording in Abbey Road Studios before Christmas.

The square in front of the studios bustles with true Christmas spirit — a snowball fight, a snowman with a guitar, a musician carrying an instrument, carol singers, a busker and women dressed as an elf, her hands filled with Christmas shopping.
On the iconic crossing four figures recreate the famous Abbey Road album cover, one has even removed her shoes like Sir Paul McCartney!

Other details found within the design are the faint outline of the London skyline behind the buildings which includes a nod to The Dark Side of the Moon front cover by Pink Floyd, the famous wall of graffiti donning “Love Heart Love,” paying tribute to the Beatles’ “All You Need Is Love” lyrics “love, love, love”, and an iconic white beetle — an ode to The Beatles Abbey Road album cover.

For those with an eager eye you can find a man called Leister hidden to the left of the main building looking through a window, he has worked fixing the studios’ equipment since the Beatles recorded there.

Other iconic symbols include a red double-decker bus with the number 909 on the side referencing the Beatles song 'One After 909', a postbox, telephone box, traditional lamp posts and the well photographed Abbey Road street sign.
Presiding over the design is Father Christmas in his sleigh being pulled by three Reindeer wearing a red and white striped scarf, referencing The Beetles "HELP" Album cover, whilst music and lyrics, “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas" float out of the Studio's chimney. Falling wrapped instruments are already being delivered to homes as they fly unnoticed overhead.

Finally, there are 10 tape reels hidden throughout the design. Can you find them all?

The collection is available exclusively from Abbey Road Studios and includes a bauble, mug, tea towel, apron, stocking, oven mitt, pot grab, coaster, magnet, tea and biscuits. Everything is proudly made in the UK.