J Crew, London

This  was quite a difficult scheme to capture for you as the lighting across Regent street is so bright even during the darkness of the evening, however, while this brand only produce occasional schemes which we would like to include here we were interested in the backdrop in particular as this concertinaed affect was so interesting.  It would be great to see some kind of narrative here although we guess this type of window scheme is just their 'thing'.

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J Crew, London

It has been a bit of a struggle finding anything exciting around town recently and clearly brands, it seems, are making cuts here, there and everywhere.  This is absolutely the wrong strategy when things are tough; how are we supposed to entice the customer in when there is nothing exciting happening?  We don't hate this scheme at J Crew but we don't feel very excited either.

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J Crew, London

This is an interesting industrial-style installation at J Crew although they dont ever seem to follow through into the store from their window schemes for some reason however?  Slightly odd.  The latest installation appears to be a kind of warehouse/industrial influenced theme with the use of industrial hooks and rope tensions breaking up the window space and product suspended in a gravitational format.

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J Crew, London

Most of London is in Sale right now although thankfully its not a sea of Red Sale signs.  Here at J Crew, while not our favourite brand it was refreshing so see a Sale scheme which plays on words and teases us to come in.  DONUT MISS OUT SALE is the strap line here with, yes, you guessed it over sized and revolving Doughnuts forming the back drop.  One of the more innovative Sale schemes we've seen on the high street at the moment.

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J Crew, London

Oh we do try to like this brand but it really is so bland (and over priced).  The scheme is great fun though and we do love the repetition of these lollipops which form the background although this store is the equivalent of listening to one of those instructional videos on YouTube; Gawd they are boring and flat (and yes we sometimes have to listen to those types of videos and they really do drive us to distraction).  Cu'mon guys, get some Glocalism and a smidgen of personality?  You are in the centre of culture and in an Uber cool vibe and this just looks like a whole lot of corporate blandness and we're just not buying into it.

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J Crew, London

[You] 'remember all that saving for rainy day stuff: its time' reads the strap line at J Crew right now.  This is possibly one of the better windows we've seen at this brand.  OK it probably wont feature in the best VM in the world book (if there was one) but the use of the repetition of closed White umbrella's (as opposed to ones which are open) at least provides an interesting context for their product (April showers an' all that).  The female mannequins look great, but why do they keep using those bust forms in their windows for menswear.  C'mon guys, they aren't doing the product any favours.

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J Crew, London

We were rather impressed with this scheme.  Why?  We hear you ask.  Well this is certainly one of the better Sale schemes from a global multiple that we have seen with a bit of humour and a smidgen of fun.  A giant 2015 with multiple 3d specs in a repetition format.   Those bust forms though. 

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J Crew, London

There is a certain energy emerging from this brand which is making us feel a little more warmth towards it than previously and defrosting our contempt; well just a little, we still aren't keen on generic global brands.  The guys here are obviously working really hard to produce schemes and we can only applaud and encourage that.  Here we have, well envelopes in a repetition format in various colours really.  OK, its not amazingly original but some thought has gone into this scheme and we are grateful for the effort to entice us and draw us in.  Those bust forms are doing you no favours however.

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J Crew, London

We're quite impressed with the 'Are you a collector?' Denim props here at J Crew.  OK, well stacks of books have been used countless times although we find ourselves being drawn to the interesting backdrop and the way the text on text has been used.  BUT, lets sort out that dressing guys?  Those armless bust forms are doing you no favours whatsoever and a cap on a headless a bust form, criminal.  We always cringe when retailers put caps on bust forms like this and even looking at it right now as we type our toes are curling and buttocks clenching, its just so wrong.  We just have to tell you; a cri de coeur if you like.

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J Crew, London

We've noticed recently that these guys always switch their window lights off at night time so its always tricky to capture what they do.  But not this time as we visited during the daytime.  There appears to be a leaning towards repetition of various objects happening in their schemes recently and this one, using ice creams does look rather interesting (as a background at least)  We just wish the brand would organise their mannequins and bust forms into some kind or narrative (other than a Police line up) to generate a little bit of excitement rather than applying any styling at all and using this generic presentation formula? 

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J Crew, London

For those of you who remember C&A then you will know exactly where we are coming from.  We've seen this brand in the US and it actually looked really more than ordinary.  The launch of this store here in the heart of it all of course looked very interesting and they have actually produced a couple of interesting window schemes from their run of several (well these two at least).  However, do have a look inside and wonder to yourself.  Wonder we hear you ask?  Well, yes,  where is the visual merchandising?  How are we being enticed?  This is a massive space which no doubt has cost rather a lot of 'bucks' but how boring and generic does it have to be?  In the words of Jack Cohen (Tesco founder), 'Pile 'em high, sell 'em cheap'....well in this case a much higher price point for quite generic merchandise.  With shoes costing in some cases over £500, bits of Barbour chucked in and a sprinkling of cashmere sweaters presented in a Benetton kind of way we couldn't be less impressed.  Dull, dull, dull.

J Crew, London

If you've been wondering whats happening in this site along Regent street here in the heart of London's West End then you may be pleased to know that the new J. Crew store is on its way very soon.  We're really not sure how may more bland brands this street can take and together with Superdry, Hollister and all of the other mega global bland brands but it really is such a shame to see this area becoming a mini Times Square where everyone looks the same with the same old generic stores with their ordinary schemes and generic merchandise.  The only saving grace is that all of the interesting stores migrate elsewhere and streets such as this become places to avoid and theme parks for tourists who could have bought this stuff elsewhere anyway.