Arc Lighting, Germany

Image copyright: Thomas Schielke, http://www.arclighting.de/

If you haven't see this site, then do check it out soon. The incredibly talented Thomas Schielke, "has been in charge of the didactic and communication division at the lighting manufacturer ERCO since 2001 where he designed an extensive online guide for architectural lighting, leads lighting workshops and publishes internationally articles on lighting design and technology". If you haven't seen ERCO's site, do check this out too. ERCO have been very kind to us in education over the years and they certainly rank as one of the best companies globally. Their on-line guides are incredible. Thomas is also author of the book "Light Perspectives - between culture and technology". In the meantime be amazed by these images from "Face the light" which, as Thomas says "analyses different lighting approaches for mannequins in shop windows." "The situations range from highly professional to coincidental [where] the appearance of the face can be varied with light in various ways: Dramatic contrast of light and shadow with one accent spotlight, complementing the primary light with an additional spot to reduce contrast or diffuse light which results in less modelling." "Grazing light reveals textures and details for the three-dimensional form, but it could also create harsh shadows on the eyes". "Brightness contrasts with a light focus on the face and a darker background guides the viewer´s attention to the face" . Do check out Thomas's link here www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ek0Xo30PjCo

Image copyright: Thomas Schielke, http://www.arclighting.de/

Desiguel, London

'To be happy' is the current message from Desiguel. The hand made has been quite influential this year within commercial concepts and the reclaiming of soon to be lost skills seems to be at the forefront of this brand. With their usual vibrant and colourful schemes this brand is creeping up to be one of the leaders on the high street here in UK. As its late on a Saturday night and I'm working late again, it is hard work to describe everything that you see here, but this brand is doing some interesting stuff so will let you decide what you think.

Lalique Haviland, London

I felt that perhaps I was a little hard hitting with my comments of the previous scheme here at Lalique along Conduit st. here in London. On reflection, maybe I needed to tell it like it really was, as the reaction from so many of you was far more frank and to the point than I was. I am concerned about this store and their presentation. For a brand that has such a rich history and is high profile at least to those who like this stuff, I am really surprised that they produce such poor quality presentation and although I personally would not buy this stuff, I find myself feeling even less like I would buy it, if that's possible? The presentation here of the mechandise has been placed on a faux mossy background, however, hardly any of the product has been lit and most of it is flat on the base of the window, therefore none of it can actually be viewed. The lighting is not even focused on the product and from the image below is in fact lighting an area of fake moss (right hand side of image below). I am exhaling a huge sigh of boredom even as I write this as surely someone within this company actually cares? Perhaps not and maybe there is some internal drama within the company that is preventing anything actually happening...I'm speculating of course (or am I?) however the fact remains that the presentation here is laughable and although I am embarrassed to say that, this company really do need to get a grip and sort out their presentation or this store will just become another dreadful multiple Coffee house filled by a company whose name I cannot bring myself to type but sounds like 'far' and ends with the slang term for American dollars.

Liberty, London

Lots of scarves...! Halstuch...! echarpes..! However you wish to translate this (although my translation may be wrong but you get the giste) there are lots of them here at Liberty in London. Yet again the team have produced the most amazing scheme based around just a few items. I adore the schemes here at this store and stand mesmerised by the teams ingenuity and creativity. As always with this store, these guys need much bigger windows in order to shine even brighter. While this is hardly going to happen we sadly have to make do with these tiny spaces that contain creativity that's ready to burst out on to the street. The bohemian feel to this scheme with some vintage figures displaying the merchandise couldn't be more appropriate. After what seems like months of Sale schemes and the recession which has gone on longer than we care to remember, this truly is a refreshing site. Many thanks guys.

Hackett, London

I was really pleased to see this interesting scheme at Hackett (along Sloane St.) here in London. Unfortunately it doesn't photograph as well as it looks, and although Hackett have used a similar scheme to the one at Tory Burom in the Meatpacking district of New York last December and therefore is not actually original, it does work very well. Vintage books, pages and images have been deftly placed to form the back ground to this installation. While the vinyl on the glass here does appear rather too much in the images, it does actually seem to work rather well in reality. The dressing is handled very well and the use of bust forms with articulated arms and hands in a dark wood finish looks superb. I may just swing by when the store is open to take a closer look. There is of course the obligatory use of stacked vintage suitcases we can see everywhere right now, and the smaller showcase windows are a little stacked to the rafters for my preference, but it is refreshing to see this company continue to produce interesting schemes none-the-less.

Cos, London

Having now viewed the Masion Martin Margiela exhibition at Somerset House here in London on three separate occasions (only because I felt so inspired by it) I am guessing that the creative's at Cos did also? Here, the essence of Margiela has been captured within at least one of its windows with the overall use of White paint, furniture used as if to place the merchandise on a pedestal and a White fabric backdrop. I'm not quite sure how I feel about this scheme, although if anything I do feel that it does pale a little by comparison to the Margiela exhibition (if indeed it has been 'inspired' by it). I have seen the use of all White schemes on many occasions on my travels and if anything I think I would have used all White merchandise with at least one item of colour to act as a focal point, or continued with the tones used on the rail, pulled those chairs together so that they didn't look like they were just filling a gap in the space, or that the budget had run out and they had no money to buy the obligatory emulsioned stacked suitcases that seem so rife around town right now. Anyway, it is a step in a direction but perhaps it just needs to be a little more informed? I am pleased however that Cos didn't place a White moped or bicycle in here as every other 'multiple' in their flagship stores seem to be feeling this need.

Puma, London

I rarely cover Sports Brands here on this site, probably because of my life long lack of interest in Sport I guess - both watching and taking part. I always hated being forced by some naff 1970's Sports Nazi in a Green Nylon tracksuit, as a skinny eleven year old, to play rugby in the freezing cold, icy, muddy playing field in the middle of no where just because they enjoyed it - I must confess I had a lot of 'illnesses' in those years too just to get out of having to freeze myself in my secondhand Rugby kit which was a charitable hand-me-down with lots of rips and holes in it that at least made me look like I had played lots. I never quite got the hang of the game and am quite relieved not to have either having preferred the civilised environment of the Art studio in which to practice for my future glamorous career and create beautiful things. Naturally, I'm still waiting for the glamorous part to happen but creating beautiful things is fine for now. Anyway, Puma here along Carnaby street was one scheme to record and which didn't send me back shuddering to those muddy playing fields of the 1970's. I am not a huge fan of Sale schemes but this one has actually been produced very well. Even in its simplicity. Paint tins have been placed in a pyramidal format with the backdrop printed with Sale in front of which two mannequins have been placed. Not the most jaw dropping stuff, but it does what it says on the tin - no pun intended.

The Sting, London

The newly opened Dutch owned brand store 'The Sting' launched here recently in London right on the high profile corner of Piccadilly Circus. Those of us who have been shopping here for eons will remember this as Tower Records. We always met up outside Tower Records on a Saturday night before venturing into the dubious bars of Soho, religiously. Anyway, in its latter years it was reincarnated as the Virgin megastore and then the oddly named Zavvi. My first impression from their window scheme was that this looked really promising. The scheme is strong and as a launch, I'm sure they must have hired every available stylist in town. Anyway, as a collection of brands each of the windows has a slightly differing variation on the same theme with a Union Jack backdrop. I did have a sneak review into the store while it was closed and sadly it does appear like just about every other 'multiple' on the high street, and this is a shame. Mounds of t-shirts, Jeans and shirts on low level plinths piled high, wardrobes and so on. The decor reflects the usual tourist stuff we have seen along Carnaby street forever. It will be interesting to see if these guys can maintain the standards they have set in the windows as time goes by. I am guessing it will all just blend into the blandness of the other stores at this end of Piccadilly, but we may be surprised. It really is a shame however that we have yet another store peddling this cheap mass produced stuff and further saturating the high street. This is not what London is about. But very good presentation none the less.

Penhaligon's, London

I know very little about this brand other than what is available on their website. I know that the product is beautiful quality and packaged exquisitely however I am not sure that this is reflected in the presentation? While viewing the latest scheme in one of their London store's I could help feeling that this scheme doesn't communicate the luxurious feeling that the rest of this brand simply oozes. I'm all for cardboard engineering in the right retailer but really not at this level. Cardboard hot air balloons are placed as if carrying the product with a Blue and White Gingham fabric covered floor. It does of course say Summer and reminisces about picnics etc. etc., but perhaps this could have been produced in a much more aspirational and sophisticated way?

Juicy Couture, London

Juicy Couture is probably one of the more exciting 'multiples' here in London right now. I am struggling to find new schemes here in the city at the moment to share with you as Sale seems to be dragging on for weeks and weeks. Although this is not Juicy's best scheme, what they do seem to do well is to keep up with current trends even in their simplest schemes. Stacked suitcases in store windows are rife right now with just about every retailer following the trend. The Antiques markets around town must be making a small profit. Anyway, with their signature White glossy mannequins and their stack of suitcases Juicy present us with a quality presentation. Its not the most exciting, but its there. Lets look forward to the next installation.

Gucci, London

Gucci's current scheme here in London is of course always such superb quality. Dull, but superb quality nonetheless. What this company do so well is perfect presentation that oozes luxury. One can even smell the store along the street. It is however, I feel, quite boring. Yes, they dress well, yes they use the best photographers, yes they present everything to minute detail, but its the same old stuff over and over again. Large format graphic (albeit in this case a leticular - which those of you who are not aware of what this is, its essentially two images in one which as you move around it changes and gives the illusion of depth - hmmmmmm). It differs very little from their previous scheme which was exactly the same format only using Black and White images of their old / original stores. Innovative stuff hey? I love the quality of this brand but they seem to have lost the edge they once had, which they then found again, and then lost it. Of course they have their core customers who will always buy this stuff and the ones who aspire to be able to buy it. In the meantime, I just can't help yawning.

Welsh and Jefferies, London

I find it quite distressing to see people cry, don't you? The pain and anguish some people suffer I simply find so unbearable that I just cant stand to view that kind of spectacle. Whenever I see this type of retail environment the same emotions are raised. Is this a cry for help? or is this a retailer who has either given up and just doesn't care or one which simply doesn't know where to go? Here along Savile Row is Welsh and Jefferies. Armed forces tailor to the Prince of Wales. OK, perhaps we don't care about the latter half of that last sentence. This company is part of a national institution but it appears to be a part of the last centuries institution that are either dead and buried or just simply buried (and in some cases possibly dug up again) and where this company is concerned, we seem to have already built the mausoleum for it. This store is just a project waiting to happen. I am, in a way embarrassed to show this kind of company here. I also feel that I need to tell it like it is and communicate how dreadful we are sometimes with our visual presentation, while also ironically so cutting edge and aspirational, and this kind of stuff still exists. It does at least only for now.

Paul Smith, London

Do you ever visit a handbag in a store window or a pair of shoes? I know a lot of my female friends do and find themselves virtually licking the glass willing them onto either their feet or arms. I feel the same thing about 'Home' stuff. OK, well I have the usual dark wooden floorboards oozing that ostentatious poverty look and absolutely gorgeous leather upholstered furniture that I sink into at the end of a hard days work. Well, why work if one cant enjoy sinking into gorgeous furniture, gorgeous baths and enjoying fabulous food, hey? Whenever I travel to NYC I spend hours at ABC just licking everything in wonder and desire. OK, well maybe my budget is more Crate and Barrel if I'm honest, but one can at least aspire to beautiful things. Don't get me wrong, I'm not materialistic, but surrounding oneself with beautiful things is one of life's pleasures, isn't it? I love this Paul Smith Home store here in London. It is way out of my price range, but looking is free at least. If you have a spare £2,900 for this shell covered dolls house (marked down from £4,200) or the 'Love too' silk wall hanging for £1515.00 then swing by and make the purchase. Just let me know where this stuff is going so that I can swing by to yours and lick the glass there too.