Harrods Bears Through the Years: Celebrating Our Heritage

Words by Eliza Warden

Our brilliant bear has worn many hats over his illustrious career, most of them bottle green and trimmed in warm gold. He's a friend, companion, colleague, collectable – and always an icon.

His journey reflects the changing tastes and traditions of 20th-century Britain, while his various designs have been influenced by our Knightsbridge store and the tireless colleagues working hard within its terracotta walls to bring only the best of – well, everything – to our customers.

Read on to discover Henry and his cousins’ exceptional pedigrees, their latest looks and some fascinating photos from the Harrods archive.

The most famous Harrods bears are our annual and Christmas editions. The annual bears have been named after personalities within Harrods’ development – think architects, managing directors and even an Olympian – and famous departments such as the Beauty Halls. Meanwhile, the Christmas bears feature traditional British monikers.

Our two 2026 bears are shown below. The delight our design team takes in curating every detail – from the noses hand-stitched in shimmering mocha thread to the plush, hand-stuffed bodies – is clear to see.

Read on to find out more about these legacy designs, including their first iterations and how the annual bears’ names, details and characters are rooted in Harrods and in the people who have made it – and still make it – the world’s leading department store.

Our bears have been transformed along with Britain’s landscape and traditions but they’ve never waned in popularity. They are symbols of craftsmanship, heritage and Harrods itself, and leaving Knightsbridge with a handmade part of history is a rare experience.

Discover below how the Harrods bear came to be; from turn-of-the-century teddy to mainstays in the halls of museums, auction houses and even New York Public Library.

When these bears were first released, their designs were shaped by the theme of the Knightsbridge store’s festive decorations. For example, the first bear, Snowy, reflects the White Christmas theme of 1986, while the store’s New England takeover in 1992 resulted in a Christmas bear modelled on an American grizzly.

In 2005, a retrospective of the bears from 1986 onwards was published, creating whimsical festive narratives that linked the furry fellows directly with Britain and our Knightsbridge store, and you can discover snippets of their stories below.

In more recent years, the Christmas bear monikers have been inspired by traditional British boys’ names. Find them dressed for cold snaps and fireside relaxing below.

As well as Steiff, one of our key collaborators when making specially designed bears is Merrythought. Founded in 1930, this brand formed a niche in the market by using premium natural materials to handcraft its bears. It eventually took over JK Farnell, Harrods’ original collaborator, and has made many mohair-covered bears for our customers.

To this day, Merrythought handmakes its bears in Ironbridge, England – a marker of the support for local craft that Harrods has never lost. In fact, it is the last brand to maintain its Britain-based teddy bear manufacturing, making every one produced that bit more special. See the 2026 bear designed especially for Harrods below.

Of course, don’t just take our word for it that the Harrods bear is beloved. To celebrate our 175th anniversary in 2024, some very special brands created their very own versions – all with signature twists. These limited-edition bears are no longer for sale but are a key part of a legacy that stretches back over a century.