Nike, London

I usually have to drag any enthusiasm out of myself when I look at large corporate brands' concepts, although I have to say I really do quite like the scheme at Nike here in London at their Covent Garden store.  This nostalgic scheme created from fencing reminiscent of a sports court, vintage and contemporary product images and white neon lighting in the form of historical dates really is so incredibly simple and so different from their flag ship store at Oxford Circus.  The difference of course is possibly because the sites fall in different boroughs in London?  The Oxford Circus site of course is within in the jurisdiction of Westminster council and I know from my experience from placing neon lighting in a store window a long time ago in this borough that it didn't last very long once the local authority had their say.  One only has to look at the Bronze lettering uniformly placed above every store along Regent street to see the level of control that's in place here.   This site falls within the London borough of Camden so probably a little more relaxed in allowing creativity to flourish.  Who knows?  Ultimately, great scheme guys.     

Kurt Geiger, London

I spotted this scheme from Kurt Geiger during London Fashion week and was quite stunned at how well this worked at their Covent Garden store here in London.  These wonderfully chromed shoe stands really do look incredible and the use of mirrors reflecting the graphic image which begins to abstract it and create all sorts of interesting combinations.  However, come on guys, replenish, replenish, replenish.

 

Penhaligon's, London

I have to admit it, I do love out sized props in window schemes.  The kind of 'land of the giants' installations are always so much fun.  Penhaligon's  along Regent st. here in London have produced these out sized cotton reels with thread weaving its way through these giant needles within this scheme to communicate Satorial, the scent of Saville Row.  Recently at Decorex, here in London we could also see similar but with cable / rope reels being used within Interiors - trend?  Who knows.  Anyway, a great scheme from these guys, a variety of which can be seen all around town right now.

Market Day

Bonjour...!...Nothing beats the experience of market day for me.  I hate having to get up out of bed at 2.00am and drive for hours and hours along motorways, tiny roads, going through the hassle of passport control, to get to the markets and this time of year is not my favourite when its cold here in the UK.  However, its always worth going even just to have a poke and rummage around the heaps of gems I find here and watching the sun come up, priceless (as they say in the adverts). 

Stuff I never knew I wanted or needed, I suddenly have an overwhelming desire to own - how shallow am I, hey?  Anyway, while shopping for clients here are just some of the delights I found on my various journeys of which I seem to have so many of these days with clients wanting that differentiation from other brands or simply want gorgeous things to look at, touch, feel, look again and enjoy.  I've stocked up on all the latest bits that you may well see in the coming months, so sorry guys.

Selfridges, London

With such a large corner window to install schemes to be seen from so many angles, Selfridges always seem come up with the goods and this installation is no exception. This limited edition pack of Dog Lamps [have been] created for 'Alter to the Chew'.  These incredibly fun series of Dog lamps can be seen drooling at the shrine of images and will be auction to raise money for Battersea Dogs home which is celebrating its 150th Anniversary.  A worthy course indeed.  If you happen to be on Oxford Street here in London do go and check this out.  Great fun, great humour, great cause.

Victoria & Albert Museum, Glassware

Nothing can beat a good old scout around the stunning V&A here in London in search of a cleansing experience and certainly while on the hunt for new concepts what better way than to be informed of what already exists or has existed from the historical to the contemporary?  Having spent a few hours studying the glassware what better way of showing product than utilising objects like these?  The delicacy, the jewel-like tones and depth of understanding and skill that created these magical objects is incredible.  The amount of ideas developed from them, infinite.  My concept development books are crammed full.

Brick Man by Max Jacquard

While perusing the wealth of creativity around London recently I came across this incredible installation by Max Jacquard.  I'm always on the look out for new concepts and either how these can be developed, change direction, how they can be applied or perhaps where new concepts can begin.  This installation struck me immediately as a possible new path to display fashion merchandise, although on reflection, and now looking at my images it does look rather corpse-like and of course death in Visual Merchandising has always been taboo.  This is not to say of course that no-one has ever done it or that we shouldn't do it, as there are examples out there of windows representing death but its hardly a cheery strategy right now to employ such schemes. Don't you think? 

Max Jaquard's Brick Man 'attempts to describe the sense of isolation, self protection and perhaps a certain brittle vulnerability felt by the artistic ego'.  'The body form represents a kind of protective shell'.  'That it is made of glass is an irony that emphasises the futility of the exercise'. 

Yep, cheers Max, I hear you say. 

While of course we can be flippant and dismissive, on a serious note, understanding this kind of work and the ways in which we understand it (or not) are really very crucial and indicate how perhaps (at least I feel) we need to move the VM industry on to a higher level of understanding and communication.  Just about every Design discipline has its own theoretical underpinning, while Visual Merchandising still lags behind as the poor relative that we never like to mention to our granny-kind-of-scenario.  So, lets start looking to these incredible artists and designers to help us get up to the level that we should be working at rather than simply transplanting their work as we so often see.  Or at least as well as, after all they equally need our support.  I don't underestimate that it will take quite a few generations to get it there (wherever there is) but we know VM  is an important part of the overall commercial process and yet it is never given the importance it should have, particularly when a recession hits.  Only then will we receive the credibility (or at least a perceived version of it for now) that this industry deserves.  Higher level of thinking + Higher level of working = Longevity,  right?  So, OK this installation is corpse-like.  The current level of thinking appears to be how this could be placed in a commercial concept as is, however,  maybe lets start to think how perhaps the techniques used here can be adopted, how the processes can be used, how this concept has been informed and developed, what is being communicated or not so that we are developing a much deeper approach to our work rather than the surface approach which seems to drag and imprison this part of the Design industry.   In the meantime, I'm off to see incredible glassware at the V and A to feel cleansed.

John D. Wilson, Artist

I've seen the work of John D. Wilson on many occasions, including the work above situated in the Business Design centre here in London and also once a long while ago on a billboard around Earls Court.  It was a gem of a find but impossible to record as it was situated on such a speedy road.  Anyway, the possible applications of Wilson's work are endless and yet no one has picked this up as a possible solution to the malaise we are experiencing in current commercial concepts - missed opportunity or what.  This work as an installation would be incredible.  So come on retailers why not commission this guy to implement a scheme with you, I can guarantee tourists will be outside having their photographs taken with it, passersby will slow down and take a closer look and you never know, it may increase your sales too.  If anything, everyone will be talking about it, everyone will want to go and look at it, taadaa.....great concept, great publicity, greater brand awareness - job done.  This stuff is not rocket science.

All Saints, London

I love the merchandise at All Saints.  They are one of the few brands that do such incredible menswear.  The industrial look and feel of these stores is rough and urban........but come on guys........retail standards an' all that. 

Copper trend, Zara Home / Mango

I recorded  this Mango scheme / window recently in the middle of October here in Central London, although didn't really think of anything particularly interesting to write about it other than the fact that Copper seemed to be developing as a trend here on the high street.  Interestingly Zara Home, almost directly opposite has also picked up on this theme.  Zara's production time is apparently lightning fast and although Interior's trends seem to move at a snail's pace, this transition from high street fashion to high street interiors is remarkably quick. OK, well, we are now possibly heading towards the 'laggards' end of the various concepts of consumerism before Primark jumps on the bandwagon and we hear the death knell tolling and screaming in our ears, although I felt it was worth noting that this is happening within home furnishings at a remarkably fast pace - possibly a trend in itself?  

Fred Perry, London



This is not Amy Winehouse

Its all go down at Fred Perry right now.  With the launch of the new collection endorsed by Amy Winehouse  AW10 (I always feel that its rather dubious to say 'designed by' as I always wonder how much actual involvement celebrities have in these collections - possibly none) being launched after a gig to 20 competition winners last week in East London.  I'm really warming to the Fred Perry brand as they have been doing some interesting stuff and Amy Winehouse probably suits this brand rather well.  Anyway, maybe swing by and have a closer look at the collection and see what you think.  In the meantime, this is not AW in my photographs. 



Or in this one either.



John Smedley, London

Earlier this year we saw the 'handmade' trend filtering through store windows.  With this trend we also saw the return towards and the rediscovery of fading skills such as knitting, crotchet, and embroidery. Sales of sewing machines were on the up and of course the incredible quilts seen both at Liberty and the Victoria and Albert Museum were just some of the delights delivered for our perusal.  I've been watching the schemes here at John Smedley for a while now as they have been doing some really interesting stuff.  The windows don't change very often and the space they have is significantly minute for a central London space, however we have seen some really interesting schemes happening here.  The latest installation has included the tiniest handmade figures and narrative scheme.  I adore the 1980's references to David Bowie and the the style of the figures.  Great fun, it drew me in, job done.

Moschino, London

I do love out sized props and Moschino here in London seem to be doing this a lot with their schemes recently.  I cant take credit for the following observation as during a lecture to a group of my students this week, one of them did mention that the out sized pencils on the left of the image are tonally the same as the outfit in the centre of the image.  How wonderful is that?  This scheme gives the illusion that the pencils have some how sketched the fashion placed in a three dimensional format on the bust form protruding from a sketchbook.  This scheme has wonderful humour, I adore the larger than life props and and the quality of this scheme is superb.

Hat Gallery, London

This is one of those exciting discoveries one finds while walking around the city.  The Hat Gallery here along Conduit St. in Central London is definitely worth a visit.  I haven't found out much about this site yet, although when I have a moment I may just swing by and take a closer look.  Here we have the most delicious merchandise in an almost gallery-like environment.  The wooden tripods used here forming the multi-pyramidal dynamic look incredible with the one piece of merchandise in Red forming an interesting focal point amongst all of the black.  The curved wall leads us through the space to the back of the store - I haven't been inside yet so am not yet sure what is beyond that point.  However, do go and check it out and see what this place is all about.

Tiffany, London

I cant help but love this scheme from Tiffany.  With so many out sized props being seen around town recently, it is quite refreshing so see that the product itself is out sized to these figures.  In its simplicity it really is quite stunning and proof if needed that we don't need enormously lavish schemes to have impact.  These windows are both wonderfully humorous and beautifully illuminated that how could one not be drawn in?

Catimini, London

I'm not a great fan of child mannequins.  I think this is possibly due to the sinister overtones that echo around these little fibreglass things.  And, child mannequins that are masked with a woolen hat really do seal the deal for me with regards to how creepy this all looks, actually in its innocence.  I have also never understood retailers insistence in putting hats on headless mannequins either - bizarre.  Anyway,  Catimini clearly needs help with their presentation if anyone out there is willing to do this for this central London retailer?

Jeff De Bruges, London

Jeff De Bruges, London.  Apparently it was Chocolate week last week but we missed it (If they had let me know I would have told you all)  However, we can still always lick the glass or just hope that someone will buy some of this stuff for us anyway.

Anthropologie, London



Anthropologie, London

 

I really do enjoy viewing the schemes at Anthropologie here in London.  This enormous structure fills these windows at the site along Regent st. and reminds me of ones of those mathematical structures one can view at the Science Museum (also here in London) which always seem rather under utilised as a form of reference to develop these concepts.  Still, wherever this installation was developed from the team creative always produce such interesting stuff and this is definitely worth checking out.  The guys inside this store are always so friendly too - a rarity it seems in retail here in the UK.