L.K.Bennett, London

This brand are looking so fricking good right now it really hurts.  We adore what these guys are doing and the effort to present and present so well with fantastic quality props showing a mini-London looks great.  We just thought we would let you guys know that your efforts are really appreciated.  Are we gushing?

Miu Miu, London

We have seen bicycles used quite a lot in windows over the years so we're a little surprised to see them appear at a brand such as this?  Ah well, they probably make millions anyway so why would they care?  Its just a shame that as an apparent avant guarde brand that they are still using props like this when even value retailers have done this to death.  Looks like those thousands and thousands spent on trend information fell on deaf ears and was a little bit of a waste of cash also? 

Fenwick, London

Oh those guys at Fenwick just get better and better.  Life has been breathed into this brand with an iron fist in a velvet glove and we just cant get enough.  Thank goodness someone here has had the imagination, the creativity and the foresight to understand what a dusty old brand this once was and it makes plain old good business sense to look good, particularly, as with this store Victoria's Secret is just across the road, oozing gloss and glamour with crowds there daily; what these guys are doing can only be a good thing.  Rocking.  But, go on be even more daring............

Anne Fontaine, London

Well, there you go, another scheme using origami.  We do often glance across the road to Anne Fontaine now and again and we always hope for great schemes here.  The brand do of course offer great examples of the product presentation technique 'gravity' which we mention in out book Fashion Visual Merchandising in greater detail, and although this brand are not the most exciting in the world there is a little spark here which perhaps needs a helping hand to ignite into something a little more dynamic?

Coach, London

Is this scheme crying out for a closed back window or does someone out there, else where, or at least some where actually like these security grilles?  We understand that there are those of you who come to visit and drool over your favourite handbag and this street does have a history of 'smash-and-grabs' for those clearly desperate housewives who just cant wait for the store to open.  Anyway, now that's off our chests, we have seen a few schemes using origami right now so we may begin to see this one trickling down to the mid-rangers, but in the meantime, great scheme but spoiled by the need or desire to nail everything down.  

Ralph Lauren, London

We've seen quite a lot of clock faces being used in window schemes around town recently so there is a clear trend happening here.  This scheme at Ralph Lauren is absolutely rocking right now.  These guys clearly have the budgets or at least manage what they do have so incredibly well and this wonderfully industrial feel to this scheme is stunning.  Go check out their Bond st. maison as this one really is a treat to view.

Chanel, London

We were wracking our brains trying to think of what this new scheme at Chanel reminded us of and we think it is a cross between Barbarella and Verner Panton, don't you think?  The schemes here are certainly getting better and better, although we are never keen on mannequins in hybridised positions, particularly with swinging handbags.  What we mean by that are figures which are placed in poses in which they were never designed to be which always makes them look rather awkward and rather odd.  Still, this is one of their better schemes even if we still don't like these pin headed sized mannequins.

Hermes, London

Wow, look at this stunner of a scheme from Hermes, here at their store along Bond st.  We love these graphic images used in conjunction with the product and fantastic bows and arrows.  A brilliant scheme from this brand and their amazingly produced hand made product which oozes the quality one would expect from a luxury brand.  Fantastic stuff. 

Moschino, London

Don't worry we're not going to bash the windows at this scheme this time around.  This particular brand gets better with each scheme but they do need to sort out their production.  We don't know who produces for them but for a luxe brand we would expect to see superb quality in their props.  Yes, we would.  

Dolce and Gabbana, London

We feel a bit gypsy caravan coming on looking at Dolce and Gabbana right now.  Actually we have seen quite a lot of this kind of stuff cropping up around town but then the notion of 'caravan' is one of the key future trends so it is particularly interesting to see how these guys have interpreted it.  Gorgeous colours, gorgeous merchandise; you can go far wrong then.

Planet in collaboration with ABC Mannequins Event, London

Were you at the Planet and ABC mannequin event last night at the Sanderson Hotel here in the centre of it all?  No?  Then you missed a corker of an evening.  This event rocked London last night with these fantastic figures that we could quite easily have taken home with us.  We are of course in therapy for this but we know you wont tell anyone, will you?  Anyway, this delicious collection from some of the nicest guys in our industry with those gorgeous ambassadors Julie Foster and Kwan Pitman at the forefront are just fantastic, and we don't say this lightly.  Amazing company, tonnes of Champagne, old friendships renewed, and lets hope lots of orders placed for these guys although this was absolutely a 'here-we-are-this-is-what-we-are-doing-event' not a hard sell which made this such a wonderful evening.  If we had the budget we would snap up these gorgeous beauties.  If you do, why aren't you spending it here?

Etro, London

This is an interesting move for this brand as they've gone from using a kind of museum diorama format, moved things up a few gears, and taadahh....! entered into the digital arena.  What is quite difficult to view here of course which cant really be appreciated in still images is that the background is actually moving in a slightly kaleidoscopic way.  Welcome to the 21st century we'd say; also how refreshing not to show some irritating talentless moronic celebrity with peroxide blonde hair, a DJ that no-one has really heard of or someone with the surname Beckham included in the visuals.  Relief. 

Wolf and Badger, London

We don't often find ourselves along Dover street although we have passed this Wolf and Badger store quite a few times and been rather impressed with their installations.  Sadly, it has been during the day and there really is no point in photographing windows in the day light hours because of the reflection on the glass.  Anyway, OK well umbrellas have been done to death in the past and we have some fine examples from Prada to Primark in our archives, although we felt that the way this brand had used them does give them a little more differentiation from the normal umbrella-ella-ella-window format.  Just sort out those lookie-likey-bag-of-spuds-in-lycra-penny-for-the-guy mannequins though?  (references to Guy Fawkes night etc.)

Issey Miyake, London

If you happen to be along Conduit Street then do check out the latest scheme from Issey Miyake.  We spotted this one last week but haven't had the chance to include it until now.  We do love a bit of Miyake.  OK, well from a visual merchandising angle this Issey'nt the best scheme in the world but then this is what the brand are all about, right?  The large format graphic is wonderfully dynamic although aren't the mannequins placed in a rather regimented format that whiffs of a police line-up?  A little interaction between the figures would have perhaps been rather appreciated.  Ah well, the product is always incredible anyway.

Visual Merchandising For Fashion, NEW BOOK

With just a few months to go to the launch of our first book, you can now order copies in advance through websites such as Amazon or through Bloomsbury themselves.  Just follow the links below.  Its so hot and in advance that some sites don't even  have an image yet...!

http://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/visual-merchandising-for-fashion-9782940447701/

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Visual-Merchandising-Fashion-Basics-Management/dp/2940496129

Alexander McQueen, London

Just in time for London Fashion week, it looks like the existing McQueen store along Bond street is just about to re-open.  Final preparations appear to being made so we've just had a sneaky view through the windows to look beyond and see what they have done with this remarkable space.  This store oozes everything that is cool in fashion and we are so glad that they are back so that we can bring you some of the cutting edge stuff that London is all about.  Watch this space as we track the brand through the rest of the year and beyond.  

Joseph, London

Look at this stunning scheme at Joseph right now.  As London Fashion Week descends upon us, we're hoping to find equally fantastic schemes around town right now.  Anyway, this scheme at the Joseph store along the Fulham Road here in the centre of it all is absolutely rocking, don't you think?

Asprey, London

If you happen to be along Bond Street, here at the centre of it all, then do swing by Asprey and take a look at this little gem.  We adore these stag heads with their nostalgic references but with a contemporary angle on the country style home.  Naturally, we all live with the real versions of these here in the UK having shot them on our country estates.  Downton Abbey is actually a soap opera which reflects the way we really live here in the UK.  You read it here first; shattering the illusion or reinforcing the stereotypes?

Tiffany, London

With such a difficult product to present, Tiffany have done it again;  yes they have.  This was quite a tricky scheme to capture with our camera but as you can see Roman Numerals and clock faces in the best materials have been used to show their magnificent jewellery.  Another corker of a scheme from this luxe brand.

Lanvin, London

We are always just a smidgen bemused by this brand as we're not always quite sure whether they 'get it' or whether they are trying to be ironic?  Well anyway, we really love the masks used here, even if they are a little creepy for our liking; think Eyes Wide Shut and aim higher.  Beyond the mannequins posed and looking like they are holding in a great big fart but just dare not let go within the confines of the space plus these frames so precariously placed and swinging a little the set of Acorn Antiques (they definitely wont get that bit), this is rather a pleasant scheme otherwise, don't you think?

Burberry, London

Not only have these guys got amazing product but scheme after scheme just gets visually better and better.  How amazing is this scheme at Burberry?  We love the optical illusions here and if you look carefully you can just make out the shape of the handbag in the vinyl on the fenestration.  Just a superb quality luxury brand scheme.  Thank goodness the days of picking up on the usual Burberry design are far, far behind.  Absolutely rocking right now. 

Mappin and Webb, London

Like a Phoenix, a Hindu Garuda, a Persian Anka, the list goes on, this brand strides more and more into our consciousness. We were looking at Tiffany just last night and, well they may have to just move down the bench and we can only yawn by comparison as this brand just gets better and better visually.  If you weren't at the Mappin and Webb launch event last night at the Cafe Royale then you had better have a good excuse.  We were in awe of the sumptuousness of this brand with its presentation so incredibly fabulous that we are slightly dumbstruck.  OK, well we will get over it, but we couldn't have imagined a better event ourselves.  Everything was just Superb. 

H&M, London

Someone at H&M has a fantastic sense of humour, don't you think?  So often missing in 'windows' generally is the sense of fun and amusement.  Pre-corporate life we often saw such skill in use of product and props and this has been lacking for so long apart from a few pockets of creativity and cleverness around town which we always find ourselves making a bee-line for.  These guys are rocking right now with these fantastic props.  We love it.  Oh, and its all about the denim.

DFS Group

Images Courtesy and Copyright DFS Asia.

We ignored this press release recently from DFS.  To be honest, here in the UK, DFS refers to an Uber luxury sofa furniture brand; OK we are kidding, it refers to possibly the worst furniture brand that the UK has to offer (think Argos / TK/TJ Maxx and look down as far as you can see) which is also sort of nick named Dreadful F**king Sofas because what they sell is the kind of stuff you reluctantly end up with rather than select to buy.  That said of course, there is a market for their stuff, they clearly make money, so we cant knock it and after all where would pimps and those who cringingly like to stroke their stud-muffin-pash-wagon-egos shop otherwise? Although, who really aspires to buy from the bottom shelf ?  Clearly some brands are lost in translation as this one couldn't be further from the image we are painting.  DFS Asia is one of the 'leading' luxury travel retailers and these images which they have kindly sent to us form part of their AW13 campaign.  Great images all round, and we're so sorry for the brand confusion although we do tend to tell it like it is.

De Bijenkorf, Netherlands

Images Courtesy and Copyright StudioXag

We don't often get to see what this brand are doing but my goodness aren't they looking cool?  Having taken inspiration from kaleidoscopic patterns and the Rue Cambon staircase the guys at StudioXag have yet again pulled out of the bag a killer scheme.  This scheme can be seen across all of the De Bijenkorf stores in the Netherlands so if you happen to be somewhere there, then there's no excuse but to take a look and drool.  It really is fantastic to see such creativity in retail store windows coming out of places beyond London and New York don't you think?

Fred Perry, London

Images Courtesy and Copyright StudioXag

To launch the new collaboration between that rock of a brand Fred Perry in conjunction with Raf Simons AW13 collection those devilishly creative guys at StudioXag have created these giant letters inspired by the varsity jackets into the windows and around several of their stores.  Of course, out sized letter form and collaborations are absolutely on trend right now; we've seen them across the luxe brands and as if by magic they trickle down to some of the mid rangers.  Great fun and great quality props.