Bling Bar @Hard Rock, Panama

If you weren't at the post Congresso Internacional Visual Merchandising event in Panama this week, then where were you?  The Panamanian glitterati and fashionista were out in force and the party read like a who's who of the movers and shakers in this amazing city.  I did manage to capture just a few (well quite a few) hilariously funny moments with the very famous Guatemalan TV presenter Alejandra Guzman (she wont thank me for saying that of course...but I'm just teasing....although she is..!) who so graciously agreed to be my human 'mannequin' on stage earlier in the day and a grateful thanks to my US and Mexican colleagues and friends Scott, Linda, Bart and Humberto who made the event and whole experience so remarkable.  Enormous thanks particularly of course to Pedro and Ana Brolo for a truly visionary world class visual merchandising event; Latin America is rocking and certainly a place to watch for some very interesting and very vibrant pockets of inspiration.  We will be showing you what we find here over the coming week.

Printemps, Paris

Printemps are certainly rocking the colour right now and their very simple homeware looks very similar to the kind of installation we often see at Selfridges back in London.  OK well Selfridges would do it all even better but you know what we mean.  We've been very pleasantly surprised with the level of work here in Paris and there have been some truly excellently produced visual merchandising schemes which we have never seen before in this city.  We'll be back soon we're sure.  Next stop is Guatemala and on to Panama.  We have no idea what to expect from that part of the world but hopefully we will have some incredible schemes to share with you.

Lancel, Paris

WTF is going on here at Lancel?  We don't recognise this brand as a global player so well done in a way for making an effort we guess?  But, jeez, VM gawd 'elp us.  What are they doing?  We had to do a double take when we came across this as we couldn't quite work out what they were doing but it appears to be several ceiling roses with roses in between and handbags on shelves, on a ceiling.     Truly bizarre stuff really.

Galeries Lafayette, Paris

Clearly demonstrating the qualities of Lycra was a determining factor for the team here at Galeries Lafayette with this installation, although it does appear to have a rather sinister and skin-like feel to this scheme don't you think?  If that was the intention then job well done although we have been having nightmares after viewing this little corker which simply reminds us of a scene from Hellraiser.  Maybe its  just our vivid imaginations?

D-Squared, Paris

Thankfully the Rue St. Honore provides us with a sanctuary whenever we come across a bad scheme as most of the retailers here really do make an effort; well most are luxury brands so one would expect to see interesting schemes here we suppose?  Anyway, we have just realised that we have never included D-squared in our entries previously and this scheme with its possibly unintentional references to Gaga actually is more interesting in the flesh (so to speak). 

Printemps, Paris

Some of the best windows we have seen here in Paris have to be the ones at Printemps right now.  The colours used have been carefully thought through and these head pieces are really quite stunning. Someone here understands colour very well and this department store is definitely shining very brightly.

Mango, Paris

If you have seen the Stanley Kubrick film 'Eyes Wide Shut' then you will know immediately what we are alluding to here.  Just plain old creepy stuff going on here at Mango.  All the dynamics are in place of course and they do what they do very well.  Its just creepy though.

Space NK Apothecary, London

Wow, Space NK have really gone to town on their Chelsea Flower show installation haven't they?  These incredible flower covered three dimensional props look quite sensational and so well produced too.  Even on the outside of the store the brand have produced these free standing structures filled with and covered in flowers.  Its still a bit cloudy and dull here in London but this really lifted our spirits and hopefully our one day of Summer sunshine may actually happen some day soon.

L.K.Bennett, London

It must be Chelsea Flower Show this week then.  All along the Kings Road here in London so many of the brands have embraced this famous event and installed schemes in celebration.  We love it when brands make an effort as so many events have been lost over the years due to ever tighter purse strings.  Need shoes to match your flowers then pop down to L.K.Bennett.

Festival Des Metiers, London

If you haven't been to see the Festival Des Metiers which has just opened then you must go.  This Rendez-Vous with the Hermes craftspeople is an absolute must.  For just one week at the Saatchi Gallery along the Kings Road, the amazing crafts people from this incredible luxury brand are demonstrating how each of their products are made.  If you happen to own a piece of their jewellery, a scarf, a dish and so on then the likelihood is that you will meet the person here who made it by hand for you.  We were quite mesmerised by how they work from following the hand painting process on the ceramics to inserting diamonds into their jewellery with a microscope it is absolutely fascinating, and they are so helpful too.

L'Eclaireur, Paris

Possibly one of the coolest places in Paris has to be L'eclaireur.  This amazing boutique housing some of the best luxury brands that the world as to offer and is oozing so much coolness that it hurts.  The staff are hugely snooty of course, but then that never deterred us even for a split second. Looking is not illegal even here in Paris so they could do with getting over it.  But anyway, that aside, if you want to view 10,000 Euro crocodile skin jackets, tonnes of mini television screens and an odd shaped interior of painted stuff then do head to this store.  If you prefer a more friendly visit then go to the menswear store around the corner.  The staff are helpful and the atmosphere just makes you want to come back for a second look - we did.

Moncler, Paris

With our final few entries of current Parisian schemes we decided to include Moncler.  Bust forms hanging in a gravitational format with large fish heads works so well, doesn't it?  Images of water on the walls and fixtures completes this fun installation,

Sephora, Paris

We do love the Sephora stores as it is one of the few cosmetic brands who do interesting stuff.  This scheme is a little reminiscent of Rue Paul's collaboration with Mac Cosmetics around 1995? with a hint of Ziggy Stardust although the fantasy of the image here and her Wonder Maman's we're sure will appeal to a certain market type.

Cotelac, Paris

We don't recognise or know this brand which is always so refreshing.  There is nothing worse than travelling somewhere only to be confronted by the same old brands, don't you think?  Along the Rue St. Honore, Cotelac have these really quite interesting screen printed graphics.  One has to view them in the 'flesh' so to speak to really appreciate them.  The bust forms without arms do the product no favours however.

Prada, Paris

This is an interesting scheme at Prada here along the Rue St. Honore.  The guys have kept what looks like the background from their previous scheme in their enclosed window spaces and dropped in their tree-slash-drift-wood 'bits'.  These big ole logs are a little 'fako' looking so we're not very overwhelmed however the style is that typical of a luxe brand, although does it work well for this one?

Lanvin, Paris

We always find the schemes at Lanvin a little hit and miss although this one has to be one of their better ones?  We're also not huge fans of hybridised mannequins although the guys here have produced this very well indeed and great to see a creative way of showing merchandise in an unconventional way.  Giant sized playing cards are used in this instance and while we have seen the 'magic' trick concepts for around a year now this one is still quite good fun, don't you think?

Hermes, Paris

One of our favourite stores along the Rue St. Honore has to be Hermes.  Having seen the artisans working away back in London at the Royal Academy last year and also the pending show next week along the Kings Road, we really do appreciate the work that goes into their products and in particular their nerves of steel in standing up and doing what they do so well without grasping for all sorts of variations of retail options.  Superb stuff.

Chloe, Paris

Isn't this scheme at Chloe beautifully simple?  We love the product handling dynamic here of Gravity demonstrated so well and presented almost like an art gallery space - stunning.  In our book published later this year by Bloomsbury we explore a whole range of dynamics which you can apply to your retail space very simply in order to achieve this type of quality which is always such a pleasure to view.  We always gave Chloe a cursory glance previously but it really does shine on the high street and very worthy or a second look.

Galeries Lafayette, Paris

We wouldn't like to suggest that there are references to the Moulin Rouge going on here, maybe there are or maybe we are simply reading something into this that isn't actually there?  But, anyway, further along the high street here in Paris at the 'fashion' area of the Galeries Lafayette, oodles of netting fill this space in a variety of colours.  Our favourites are the midnight Blue although this fantastic Red and Pink Lyra scheme is particularly great fun. 

Galeries Lafayette, Paris

At Galeries Lafayette its all about the skate board.  Chairs on skate boards, plates on skate boards.  You name it, its on a skate board, whether suspended, stacked or clamped together; home ware has gone skate board bonkers with a little nod to Paul Smith.  We have to admit that this scheme has been produced very well and these monolithic emporiums to all things design are quite impressive.  Fashion is interesting too and we'll share that scheme with you shortly.

Galeries Lafayette, Paris

We are currently working with one of our international clients here in Paris for the next couple of weeks and have already been out and about scouting for the best in Visual Merchandising in this glamorous city. From the incredible department stores to the smallest boutiques we will be sharing some of our wonderful finds with you that are happening right now.  Just watch this space......

French Connection, London

This poor old brand appears to have been scratching around to keep their heads above water for an eternity, haven't they?  Fortunately they appear to be looking really interesting again from a visual point of view although our shopping connections still lament that the product is the same year after year.  We don't actually know if this is the case as we rarely ever walk inside these stores ourselves.  However with their rotating mirrored 'billboards' (yes these mirrored structures are just like the thing you may have seen on the side of the highway, motorway and so on) actually do generate a bit of interest into their windows and we really are willing this brand to keep going and do some stuff less ordinary although not like the previous campaigns however.  I am Goat, You are Handbag kind of stuff really didn't work, did it? 

Moschino, London

OK, well you know we usually bash this brand whenever we come across what they do, but hands up, this one is actually one of their better ones.  The props are well made and it is a bit of fun.  OK, that's it.