Benetton, London

We've seen lots of references to Birds of Prey around town recently so we are guessing this is one of the current trends on the high street right now.  We will keep you posted with the recent developments from the other mass brands and see if we can make some links here. 

Benetton, London

We were rather surprised to see this scheme at Benetton this week.  Surprised, only because this is quite a departure from their normal-type schemes although actually quite refreshing to view.  Finally we have a scheme from this brand that is just a little more exciting, a bit of movement and a nudge forward.  We're not sure they are experienced enough at this stage to handle mannequins like this as they are rather placed independently of each other as if the figures have either won a Gold medal or taking part in a form of synchronised swimming.  Still, thankfully, it is a move forward, and while we wont be having a street party to celebrate it, it is a least something different to look at and finally we may actually visually have a mid-range brand that we can enter into and know which one we are in.

Benetton, London

I rarely photograph Benetton or even really take any notice of what they do visually, I suppose because the brand seems, at least to me to have lost its way somewhere along the line. When Oliviero Toscani's photographs of a Nun and Priest in a passionate embrace, the newly born baby still bloody or the Aids victims on death beds, gave this brand a real edge which seems to have disappeared somewhere along the line. This is a shame as I guess the brand is now more than brightly coloured sweaters (and mountains of them) that filled these sites last time I shopped there. Anyway, I did find myself drawn to this scheme although I think I would have laid this out quite differently and bearing in mind the height of the space here in an absolutely prime location, I think I would have perhaps really filled this space with these wooden discs to create a much stronger statement. The use of the grey tone in windows does shout luxury to me (even if the product is not), however I feel this is lost as while in essence the scheme and idea is there, the execution of it could do with a huge dose of drama and creativity.