Update: These new lights will no longer be gracing Oxford Street for Christmas 2018 — see full details of 2018's Oxford Street Christmas lights. Fingers crossed we'll see them in 2019 instead.
The sun may have only just shown its face for the first time this year, but the forward planners of Oxford Street are already thinking about what the Christmas lights will look like.
Four shortlisted potential designs for the Christmas 2018 lights have been revealed, after a competition for designers and lighting experts.
The four designs include 'Gia Equation' inspired by the Northern Lights (top), which makes use of light refracting prisms. 'Herr Meier Licht' resembles flocks of birds in the sky, and changes colour, while ‘The Polar Christmas’ is inspired by the designer's own encounter with a reindeer on a polar expedition.
Finally, 3DReid is a geometric ribbon made of 500,000 LED lights, inspired by the North Pole.
The competition is run by New West End Company and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). The judging panel includes the British fashion designer Anya Hindmarch and Deputy Mayor for Culture and Creative Industries, Justine Simons.
The winner will be announced at the end of May, and will be showcased on Oxford Street between November and January. Over 30 million people visit Oxford Street during the festive season.