Mathew Williamson, London

The Mathew Williamson luxury fashion brand was begun in 1997 here in London (according to the website). This flagship store on Bruton Street is one that I haven't viewed very often, however I came across this innovative scheme launched for London Fashion week. This is a fun idea using silver balloons as the main prop and mannequins wearing his designs and placed as if swimming in this sea of silver. Of course the figures are not meant to have their arms at these angles and this is where the scheme jarrs a little for me as they do look quite odd. However, it was a pleasure to see such ideas being executed and perhaps this could influence mannequin manufacturers to consider producing figures that have the ability to be rather more flexible than they currently are (at least in fibreglass). This would enable designers of these schemes to have the versatility required and create ever more creative ideas without them looking odd?

Alexander McQueen, London

The Alexander McQueen windows along Bond Street in London, absolutely exemplify what he [Alexander] is doing on the catwalk for Autumn 2010. I have seen this store many times and it still remains one of my favourites with its suspended pillars and curvilinear interior - absolutely beautiful. The windows here normally have a glass floor and therefore I suppose it is difficult to create an installation which works with the existing Architecture. This installation however works incredibly well. Anyway, it is the most progressive and the boldest scheme that I have seen in a long time from this Designer (with regard to the windows) which reflects the look and feel from Alexanders catwalk shows. Truly amazing, is the feel of this brand with the pyramidal stack of televisions, some flickering with and attempting to tune in to out there, in here, or at least some where. The stretched and exaggerated perspective hounds tooth design that I have shown recently at Jaegar on a vinyl seems to work even better in this context.

Harvey Nichols, London

These are my absolute favourite windows in London currently at Harvey Nichols, Knightsbridge, London. I am so excited in sharing these with you from my weekly flaneur -ing of the London cityscape. I am not sure where the idea originated from, however, but for me at least, they have a wonderful Surreal quality. I have been trying to think about what they remind me of and I think they are a combination of Hans Belmer's poupees (but these are far more glamorous and certainly not as gruesome), but also windows from 1930's Grand Magasin and the Exposition Internationale du Surrealisme at the Gallerie Beaux-Arts, Paris. I feel the team at Harvey Nichols have absolutely excelled themselves with these windows and I much say, they really are superb..!

Stella McCartney

I have been following Stella's windows for quite a while and I just don't quite know what to say about them, if I am honest, beyond just describing them. I feel that there is such an opportunity here to do something quite clever for such an amazing designer and yet I do feel that I am missing the point. Are these windows so elite and abstract or do they simply not make any real sense other than the obvious with the use of the usual populist cartoon characters, large format graphic and two mannequins? In any case, I just feel that there seems to be a missed opportunity here.

Issey Miyake, London

How simple and yet how wonderful is this? While flaneur-ing the city I was drawn to this like a moth. The repetition of the product and how wonderfully it was illuminated is quite incredible. I see this store very frequently and while it is absolutely amazing, the store itself unfortunately changes very little for such an a amazing designer. For some reason, some how I just expect it to be so much more pioneering - and it is in so may ways, although not necessarily the space in which the product is sold. Anyway, in places such as New York, particularly in bars and restaurants they use these a lot to display product (the booze) and it looks so appealing when illuminated by a light box, it really does. I have ordered several myself (although not at this size) to illuminate some glassware for one of my clients. Get 'em while stocks last...!

Jaeger, London

This is an interesting idea produced by Jaegar along Regent Street here in London. I was drawn to it I think because I had seen a similar idea in 2001 in Tokyo in the then new Louis Vuitton store. I particularly like the hounds tooth vinyl on the glass here at Jaegar. The oval form frames the whole image of the store window almost phasing out the area behind and focuses our attention on what is in the window itself. The figures are in the usual groups of 2, 3 and 1 which of course visually works very well and the background large format image communicates the lifestyle and possibly our aspirations? I do feel that this window works very well in its own right but I also feel that having seen the Louis Vuitton store in Tokyo 8 years ago, perhaps more could have been done to create the impact that this wonderful store deserves? The Louis Vuitton store created a kind of strip tease effect that made one go up to it and see beyond the vinyl. After all, as we know (or are prepared to admit), things that are gradually revealed (as in a strip tease) and that we discover are far more exciting than if we are shown a full frontal. Aren't they?

Louis Vuitton, Tokyo, 2001

Juicy's Travels, London

I have never noticed the Juicy store tucked away near Claridges in London before (where have I been, hey?). I usually only veer as far as Stella's as there tends to be little else along the street. Anyway, after flaneur-ing a little further I came across these windows which grabbed my attention. It was so uplifting to see such a complex yet a carefully orchestrated scheme that is entertaining and yet sells the product. Juicy have used tiny soldiers (possibly artists models) and painted and dressed them as the Queens guards of Lilliputian proportions in comparison to the life sized figures wearing the merchandise . This presents a wonderful narrative as your eye moves around the window to find figures unravelling ropes and string and generally giving a mischievous appearance. How wonderfully fun and typical of this brand..!

09/09/09 - A cry for help?

As it is 09/09/09, I was unable to resist giving you all some windows which are clearly a cry for help. If you are reading this outside of the UK, 999 is the telephone number for the three emergency services - Fire, Police, Ambulance. Sadly, in this case, the fourth emergency service are not a team of dressers or designers). Anyway, while I would normally publish the glossiest and best windows and interiors that I can find, I do think it is noteworthy to comment on windows which are equally un-glossy and unkempt. Sadly there are quite a lot of these types of windows that I have come across time and time again and it seems endemic of stores, usually in the suburbs, although not always. These ones have been taken while on my travels and form a small collection from a wider archive. I do feel that it is well worth recording these types of windows if only to understand what not to do. They are all anonymous and deliberately so to save any embarrassment although I think you will all agree that we all know somewhere nearby wherever we are that looks like these. Maybe you can send them in and we can have a light hearted vote for the worst ever?

Mulberry, London

I came across this extraordinary window at Mulberry, here in London the other day. I haven't seen such fun windows in ages. In fact who was it that did the window which had rats wearing jewellery on Saville Row many years ago? (I think it was Simon Doonan?) Anyway, the Mulberry windows consist here of shiny gloss black trees with hundreds of the beetle-like creatures (possibly Stag Beetles?) crawling all around. Such a simple idea, yet has fantastic impact. Merchandise is strategically placed on the torn (burnt?) stumps of the branches with one shoe in the smaller window placed as if the figure who would have been there has been consumed.

I think, perhaps, I would have put a few more on the floor of the main window, even filled the whole floor to create a writhing mass and possibly a whole variety of sizes. But anyway, this is a great idea and thank you Mulberry for the great visual.

Diesel, London

The Diesel store is still one of my favourite places to view while I am flaneur-ing the city. I cannot think of an occasion when I have ever been disappointed with their schemes and this is no exception. I always think of Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Browns Learning from Las Vegas when I see this kind of homage to ancient Rome. The use of cardboard cut out columns and arches always remind me of the gateways to the commercial city that we can see so many examples of Internationally from the Marble Arch here in London, the equivalent can be seen in Rome, Moscow, the Arch de Triomphe in Paris and of course the arch in Washington square in New York. The whole scheme is beautifully illuminated and appears almost like a photo shoot rather than a store window - what a pleasure.

Daks, London

I always enjoy seeing Daks windows along Bond St. in London as they tend to do very sophisticated schemes which ooze quality. I was therefore, a little disappointed with this scheme as while it is executed very well, it is a celebration of 115 years (as I was quite rightly corrected by an anon. follower not 150 years as I had previously posted) - and possibly in the light of Selfridges fantastic 100 years' celebration - I actually found it quite unexciting. The only real indication that Daks is celebrating its Anniversary is is a small decal on the glass telling us so and which is barely visible in my photograph. I couldn't help feeling that a little more could have been done other than the use of the repetition of photographic images in the windows and grey fabric is rather unadventurous albeit very good quality. For a retailer to reach a 115 year Anniversary is such an incredible achievement that I for one would want to shout about this and shout quite loudly. Am I being harsh here 'followers' or would you agree that more could be done visually for such a whopping 115 year Anniversary?

Jc De Castelbajac, London

Jc De Castelbajac along Conduit Street in London, I find, quite an odd store. I have seen various incarnations of the store on this site which if I remember correctly is where onkin ee (is that the correct spelling?) once stood. Anyway, I do enjoy what they do with their Windows and they certainly are creative and fashion forward. I was viewing the latest Alexander McQueen catwalk show recently for 2010 where models wore these huge Leigh Bowery-esque lips - am guessing this is where the concept came from. Anyway, I thought the reclining figure is a great prop. Perhaps he doesn't need the sunglasses? I felt this just made him suddenly look too human and therefore I was looking at a naked figure rather than a prop. Anyway, while the merchandise, it seems is perhaps for the very fashion forward / or brave, it is a fun store to see. I particularly like the figure in the perspex chair with the undersized hat positioned strategically on her head - although that chair looks very uncomfortable - well I guess that's just fashion.

Kurt Geiger, London

I think this is the first Kurt Geiger stand alone store that I have ever seen. I am familiar with the brand as concessions within department stores but I dont recall seeing any 'solus' sites anywhere on my travels. Anyway, although I have seen the use of old suitcases in many displays before, I felt that this worked actually very well. Each one has been painted in such wonderfully vibrant Summer colours and the product has been strategically placed creating an old-school-type glamour. I am not sure if this is the first display for this brand, but from across Regent Street in London while flaneur-ing the city it drew me in and I wanted to share it with you. I must admit, I am looking forward to seeing what they do next..!