Desigual, London

It appears that the guys at Desigual are having far too much fun, don't you think?   Screaming from this tiny (by comparison to the others on Regent street) is their latest offering that says 'we're a young and fun brand and just want to share it all with you'.  The energy and passion that these guys clearly have oozes from their schemes which makes the surrounding stores appear deficient by comparison. 

Alexander McQueen, London

This is an incredibly striking scheme at McQueen.  We often find it difficult to find schemes in pure Black and White (although actually Moschino around the corner are also), however this eery scheme stopped us in our tracks along Bond Street.  As always, simply stunning.

Fortnum and Mason, London

The latest scheme at Fortnum and Mason brought a huge smile to our faces.  How fantastic are these windows?  We absolutely adore the creativity of these guys.  This is one of the few stores globally specialising in food presentation and don't they just set the standard, eh?  Historical references and good old camp frippery at its very best.  We bet their customers love this. How can anyone even come close to the quality of what they do here?

Burberry, London

Wow, look at these gorgeous windows at Burberry right now.  We can honestly say that this scheme looks much better in reality than in a photograph as the suspended mirrored 'bits' at the back move slightly and glint in the lighting.  The mirrored finish of  these purple plinths and the jewel-like merchandise looks almost edible.  There also appear to be references between Miss. World and the Olympics with its pyramidal dynamic  but, still, this is a definitely a winning scheme and someone somewhere really does understand how to apply the various product handling techniques so well.

Guess, London

We are just going to squeeze just one more London Fashion Week scheme into the schedule as so many of you have asked for it and quite surprisingly, the Guess scheme actually looked a little interesting, don't you think?  We're not massive fans of this brand and usually perhaps a little scathing of their out-of-the-packet schemes, but hands up, they do look rather less ordinary right now.

Liberty, London

Its the end of another London Fashion week, the catwalks are dismantled, models shove chocolates down their throats like there's no tomorrow and everyone flies back to wherever they came from while we dodge being run over by the enormous press bus steaming around town. We are just slipping in the last scheme before this is dismantled and gone forever.  Here at Liberty, glass bricks and repetition of mannequins in similar poses fill the windows at this iconic store showing the latest and greatest from the best designers around.

Rootstein, London

Have you seen the latest collection at Rootstein yet?  The collection (as always) epitomises everything that fashion figures should be and with their absolute realism, incredible sophistication and attention to the tiniest detail we have the latest offering from this 'Uber' brand. Gorgeous fashion, gorgeous mannequins and a fantastic event.......we are living on canapes and champagne these days, although we are not complaining when these events are so delicious to be a part of.

Zara, London

We always love to go and check out the latest offering at Zara's Bond street store which always provides that little bit 'extra'.  Clearly influenced by Mugler's muse and Gaga's 'best' friend Rick Genest aka Zombie Boy these London Fashion week windows are looking fantastic......even possibly a little cold in there?...;o)

SFD, New Central London Showroom

Were you are the launch event last night for SFD's new showroom here in Central London? No? then you missed a blast of an event.  These cool guys have just launched this fantastic space along Charlotte street (behind Goodge st. Tube station) so you must go and have a look.  The gorgeous new collections of mannequins are just a tiny snippet of what these guys do and we chatted the evening away, clearly over far too many glasses of the finest champagne with the likes of the teams from Westwood, Harrods, Bentalls, to name just a few.  Such a fantastic evening and really great company.  Thank you guys.  We will swing by again very soon.

Heal's, London

If you haven't been to see Heal's whispering windows then do take a look (and listen)  we were there late in the evening and just caught the last of 'Gone with the Wind' while the other windows 'slept'.  Launching their new Mattresses website this iconic store has just leaped to the forefront of our minds. Who needs static windows, eh, when we can be entertained audibly as well as visually?  If you happen to be on Tottenham Court Road here in the centre of it all then you must go an experience this incredible technology from the guys at www.feonic.com

Alexander McQueen, London

London Fashion Week really wouldn't be complete without a 'wow' collection from McQueen to rock the establishment, would it?  And they never seem to fail.  At their Bond Street store, the fantastic merchandise is just oozing from the window with this product / fashion led scheme with tessellated vinyl creating the illusion that the mannequin is being gradually revealed before us.  These guys just get it all so right.

Forever 21, London

It looks like London Fashion Week is well and truly upon us and retailers here in the heart of it all are either squeezing out the last of Valentines promotions,  have jumped ahead to Easter or are embracing this moment.  At Forever 21, the good old Union flag has been dusted down from all of the Jubilee celebrations last year and supported with an announcement of 'Celebrate British Fashion week'.  Slightly odd thing to announce for London Fashion Week.  Is anything happening outside of London to call this British Fashion week?  Are the fashionista of Stockport, Bognor, Aberystwyth or Inverness sporting the latest from Prorsum, McQueen or Westwood?  Unlikely.  Or are Edinburgh Woollen Mills catwalk events making a killing on Sales right now with after show parties offering deep fried Greggs sandwich canapes and a bottle of the finest White Lightning?  We can only wonder.

Max Mara, London

We love the clever use of the mirrors here at Max Mara (which look much better in real life).  Got a detail on the back of your product?  Your customer doesn't have 360 degree or X-ray vision? ...then why not employ the use of a few mirrors to do the work for you?  Devilishly simple and works perfectly......of course.

Space NK Apothecary, London

We don't often include Space NK, we do love their products, although its not often they do anything very interesting.  However, we loved this stacked book effect with product placed on top; such a great way to elevate the product in an interesting way don't you think?

Fashion Retail:Future Directions

If you missed the opening of Fashion Retail:Future Directions last night then here's a little snapshot for you.  'Looking at the future trends of retail design, concept stores, gallery-like retail environments, the project explores the trend in complimentary curation of retail spaces and builds on the existing strong relationship between fashion, art, design and architecture'.  'The exhibition presents the various stages of design development through to completion and maps out the entire journey to the final outcome exhibited here'.  So go on, take the afternoon off and pop down to Viabizzuno inlondra, 122, Great Titchfield Street, London and see this gem for yourself. 

Calvin Klein, London

We're becoming more and more drawn to old CK here on Regent street.  We  loved the Sale window; very simple and great light installation.  This isn't the most creative brand where window schemes are concerned apart from the NYC mega store which we always make a bee-line for whenever we visit that incredibly exciting city, but this store here in London is doing something right which is elevating it above their usual ordinary schemes.

DKNY, London

We're not entirely sure how we feel about this scheme at DKNY?  The security grille is so distracting that it would definitely have been better to have a closed backed space to these windows, don't you think?  We understand the scheme and we can see the references to New York and in isolation this is perfectly OK (we would put a bit of both windows props in each of course).  But, anyway, the little Dogs and signage are beautifully made.

Louis Vuitton, London

Just around the corner from Harvey Niks is the gorgeous Louis Vuitton scheme on Sloane street.  How stunning is this scheme?  Shiny Sliver typewriters and a flying manuscript........we certainly know how this feels right now with our pending book.  Day after day and night after night we've been chained to our computers, but, just so that you know, it will be launched in August this year.  We will of course send out gentle reminders in the meantime.

Harvey Nichols, London

If you happen to be in the Knightsbridge area of London then do go and visit the windows at Harvey Niks.  In this prolonged period of austerity and with references to sustainability mixed with huge doses of glamour, we cant help but just love what these guys do.  Branches and cardboard lined windows with fabulously glamorous mannequins in the latest luxury fashions, this store continues to be one of favorite places to go shopping (well, look really if the truth was known..!....but then looking is free) in the world.

Alessi, London

Oh Alessi, you've let the side down.  You guys produced a fantastic Jubilee scheme last Summer time and looked great at Christmas.  But, come on guys show us more than hearts on a fricking tree, eh?  You've been clever with your product on previous occasions but we're not drawn in by this one.  Really?

Camper, London

How cool is this presentation at Camper?  We love these large brush-like structures for this product which just makes everything look just that little but more enticing, interesting and so much less ordinary, don't you think?

Agent Provocateur, London

If you're not yet entirely sure what you are going to do for your Valentine's celebrations, then why not have 'Adventures in Lingerie'? We can't imagine ourselves slipping into these little 'scratchy' numbers at our local Supermarket petrol station somehow, although stranger things have happened.  Its a shame that these mannequins look a little disheveled, 'done' or 'had' as this always appears to be such a glamorous brand and the 'two hookers holding a petrol (or gas if you are reading this stateside) pump nozzle in such a suggestive way makes these mannequins in this scenario appear more 'up for it' rather than sexy.  Maybe its someones fantasy, just not ours.  If ya know wha' we mean...;o) 

Church's, London

Do Church's actually sell these Golden shoes?  With metallic's rife around town right now (just look at Burberry), these lil' pups just work perfectly, don't they?  Men's shoe presentation is always so dull in comparison to the fantastic shoe lounges, shoe bars and shoe experiences that females have the whole fantasy bubbly spa experience of loveliness to choose from while males are left with the Grey, Black, Brown and the occasional colour (if you happen to be a sensitive male) to select from.  Cutting through it all.....thank goodness for Church's right now leading the way into the light of interesting presentation and fantastic product.  Finally.

Gucci, London

We love the latest scheme at Gucci right now, how cool is this brand looking?  The product itself is supported by these ever-so-slightly-Manga referenced cartoon images in dynamic poses.  That's all there is to say about it really, but it does look cool, don't you think?

Smythson, London

Wow, how crisp, clean and wonderfully illuminated does Smythson look right now?  As nearly everyone is gearing up for Valentines Day, thankfully this is one of the brands that are not completely plastered with heart motifs, but instead with beautiful product, all perfectly placed and surrounded with these Love letter props. Very elegantly and tastefully produced we thought.