Diesel, London

"If you've never done anything stupid, you've done nothing at all" I love this campaign from Diesel. The photography campaign is great fun and I particularly enjoyed the scenarios of how to be stupid. This is probably the best campaign I have seen from this brand and they are an excellent example of how a "multiple" brand can be extraordinarily creative. How the marketing campaign has been translated into a window scheme however is another thing. I am not sure that the humour of the campaign has translated that well - but this is not to say that the scheme is in any way wrong of course, I know that its impossible to place mannequins in the positions that the models are in within the original images on their site. I do like the over the over the shoulder strapped 'shields' that the mannequins have been dressed in and the various other props such as spray cans, although the fun is rather lost? Anyway, maybe check out their website and see what I mean?

Banana Republic, London

Its always quite amusing when one views "multiples" echoing the cooler brands while it is simultaneously a little buttock clenching too. I do however quite like what Banana Republic have produced with their new Fit Chinos. OK, this scenario does remind me a little of those glass cases that display dessicated corpses where ghoulish passing tourists are often seen in Italian churches and crypts and perhaps with this knowledge they could perhaps have been presented in a rather more precious or far more austere way? However, on a positive note this is at least a little creative and I am thankful that a "multiple" has produced this.

Pretty Green, London

This site along Carnaby street here in London has seen a multitude of pop up stores recently which have been quite fun to view. I'm not entirely enthused by this new installation by Pretty Green by yet another celebrity who "apparently" have a new design out there, although the merchandise actually looks great. I do have a resistance against psuedo creatives simply trading on their name and obnoxious "pop" stars and their new collections, afterall, who on earth wants to be like this one? but then thats just me I guess.

Kurt Geiger, London

While dodging the rain, shading from the Sun and avoiding the tourists, just by chance I came across the new scheme at Kurt Geiger. I had almost given up on this brand based on the past few schemes, which as you know from my previous entries were less than complimentary (I'll give you a minute to read them again if you'd like) Anyway, I really do like this scheme. Its witty, its fun, its intelligent and very well produced. Although I don't own this many shoes, I know a lot of female friends who do and they all do exactly this - adhering a Polaroid to their multiple shoe boxes. You gotta love a Polaroid. Having worked for a "multiple" shoe retailer one Summer holiday I do relate to this scheme. Working with shoes is really hard work although I wont bore you with the details of my experience, suffice to say that I hope that female in Glasgow who I got that pair of shoes for in 1991, for which I received an enormously humiliating telling off because it cost the company £5.00 in postage really appreciated the trouble I went to. Retailers and the way they treat their employees for helping customers hey...! In the meantime the narrative here is fun, the execution well produced and I really do hope this brand continue with this quality. I'll keep looking anyway and let you know what they are up to.

Gant, London

I find myself exhaling a huge sigh of boredom looking at some of these "multiple" brands. I know there is strength in this brand and I know that this brand have a core customer group and I know that this brand are sticking to their core brand values and so on, but would the presentation of their brand really alienate customers or make them veer away from this brand even though it wasn't dull visually? Now, I do appreciate that this kind of presentation may be cutting edge in their native Sweden but do we really have to see the same old stuff being re-presented time and time again here in London? At the end of the 1980's as a poor student I worked at the Burtons menswear flagship store along Oxford st. (now Tesco) peddling some very uncool leather trimmed knitwear (yes, well it was the 80's). I remember one of the schemes implemented at the store was a huge mound of bales of hay on which mannequins were placed on, stood next too and so on. Not that long ago (looking through my archives), Harvey Nichols produced coloured bales of hay for one of their concepts, followed by Mulberry earlier this year. Why no-one at this brand seems to know this is a mystery to me. Does no one ever look at what other brands are doing or have done? The merchandise is clearly good quality and you'll pay for what you get. However, on a positive note, if I ever feel the need or the desire to be part of the bland tribe, I know where to come shopping. Thankfully, I don't, so I wont.

Moschino, London

I really try to like this brand, and I do to a point. However, I really don't like motifs such as Hearts, butterflies and so on. Motifs are a scourge in product presentation and I do always feel that creative teams have simply run out of ideas when they use them. This is, of course one of the signature elements of Moschino, but it doesn't make me like it in the slightest. Anyway, so here we have four bust forms in a linear repetition format with the Heart motif in vinyl attached to the fenestration. The fashion brand Jigsaw used out sized cotton reels earlier this year so sadly this is nothing new. I quite like the giant pin cushion with its out sized pins until at closer inspection it reveals that someone didn't learn how to slip stitch and why oh why is this poorly and amateurishly sewn edge facing the customer flow and right in front of the glass (almost at eye level) for all to see too? I shudder. If you cant sew, don't show everyone. Am just telling it like it is.

Cos, London

I have to admit I do actually like this scheme at Cos along Regent st. here in London. OK, well it is not the most original scheme or going to change the world but the repetition of the same images does work well even if so many retailers have done this before. These images have been pinned to a Black painted polystyrene background or pegged to a washing line and curling at the edges. This does make the brand look a little more 'cool' although I'm wondering if the merchandise will follow as it does sit a rather more 'middle of the road'. Anyway, I will continue to follow them to see where they go next.

Gauntlett, London

Here along the Pimlico Road in London is Gauntlett. Sadly their website tells me nothing about the company apart from 'text coming' so I really cant tell you anything about them at all. However, I was drawn to this place because of their amazing collection of vintage Louis Vuitton luggage stacked literally to the rafters within this store. The luggage was my main interest as it spans whole decades of the 20Th century and really does look incredible. The merchandise here really is beautiful (if not actually presented beautifully) and while I cringe at my own desire to own one of these pieces of luggage - only because of the sense of history rather than to enable me to define myself - I would, no doubt have to part with quite a lot of cash in order to do so. In the mean time, I think I'll continue to scour the flea markets and find something equally fabulous and probably unbranded.

Ernesto Neto Installation

If there is one thing to experience this Summer it must be the Ernesto Neto installation at the Southbank here in London. The installation is in conjunction with the New Decor, Artists and Interiors Exhibition and is the most incredible structure. The information provided describes this as.....'an abstract, biomorphic quality - evocative of skin and interior body systems - that investigate the way in which spatial alterations transform the relationships between people'. The viewer is guided through a series of interlocking spaces with cushioned soft spaces. The colour, the low level lighting and at at certain points, herbs have been encapsulated within the structure. This installation is quite remarkable appealing to all of the senses. I do find these places and spaces enormously inspiring and a great place to look for new ideas and ways of thinking. If you get the chance, do go and have a look. As part of the adjoining exhibition there is also a hammock made of heavy duty chains - the only thing one can actually touch and interact with here. Great fun if you dare to lay in it.

Howe, London

Further along the Pimlico Road here in London is the increible Howe. Opened by Christopher Howe in the mid-1980's the store stocks the most wonderful 'stuff'. I wont bore you with the press release as you can look this up quite easily, however I was drawn to the merchandise. I adore home ware and this store is quite exceptional. In particular, I love the repetition of these Jeanne Pierre hat boxes in Pink placed on a wooden bench. Howe clearly has an eye for Uber style and I really could live my life in this space. If you happen to be on the Pimlico road do go and take a look. If like me, you find the price tags are a little too painful, just go and look, drool and fantasise At least that's still free.

Collection Pierre, London

Further along Pimlico road (or Bourne St. to be exact) here in London is Collection Pierre. 'Originating under the artistic leadership of John Hutton it continues to grow under the supervision of Jean-Louis Deniot' and a lot of other superfluous information (according to their website, but obviously not in these exact words). I really cant be bothered to read the press releases of these "designer" companies as it bores me to tears and makes me nauseous but if you like their stuff, you trust them, they do what it says on the tin and they deliver what they say they are going to deliver then who really cares anyway that a national newspaper printed an article about them - does it matter? (this is not to say that a national newspaper did of course but you get the gist). I guess there is a clientele who need to read that stuff for reassurance, even if they don't really believe it but maybe they just want to read it / see it, and as always retail can play on the customers insecurity and simply tell them what they (the customer) want to hear. Goodness knows there are plenty of full shopping bags out there full of this stuff and one only needs to view the delivery vans around Notting Hill to see that there is a market for it all. I have included this store simply because of what they have presented. Their choice of colour is absolutely right on the mark and an interesting inseparable link to the current trends in fashion, and this I find so wonderful. I love it. OK well, there really is no humour and ultimately its just stuff painted in fashionable tones, although it does look great and maybe they will find some humour one day too.

Tomasz Starzewski, London

While meandering around town the other evening I happened upon the Pimlico Road here in London. This is not my normal stomping ground and I must confess I did actually loose my way and simply found myself here late at night. This area of town has had some very notable residents such as Winston Churchill, Laurence Olivier, Laura Ashley, Aubery Beardsley, the list really does go on and on. For some reason I never think to walk around this area to look for fresh inspiration, however there are some incredible gems of retail spaces just waiting to be discovered (at least by me). Anyway, here we have the Tomasz Starzewski store (I always wondered if one existed and here it is) Of course Starzewski, perhaps is best known for his evening wear for such high profile clients such as the late Diana Princess of Wales. However, I am more interested in finding this place. This is not the most exciting store I have ever seen, although of course the quality of the merchandise is second to none. Suspended figures are placed in a repetition format with low level fixtures presenting additional merchandise. This is not the type of store design that I would have expected from this brand - perhaps something a little more luxurious is what I had in mind, but I am happy to have finally found it none-the-less.

Etro, London

Normally this store has the security grille pulled down in front of the store every time I walk past which immediately forms the unfriendly barrier between customer and retailer. I have therefore resisted recording or commenting on this brand for quite some time as attempting to get past the security was far too much hassle when there are so many other incredible things to view, why on earth would I bother trying? However on this occasion, the metallic barrier was lifted and I immediately was drawn in to investigate this brand a little further. Amazing how, by metaphorically opening their arms I was so drawn in (21st century an' all that Etro). Anyway, I really do enjoy what this brand have produced here and wanted to share it with you all. OK, well Hermes did something similar recently with the use of Graphics combined with product, but the previous scheme was a faux version of a Tivoli fountain which really does pale by comparison and therefore this is a refreshing direction at least. While attempting to find out more about this brand, I did find the most amazing stuff that they actually do. If you do a quick search through the net, they have an incredibly informative website and I think you will be surprised at the depth of thinking and contribution that they make. And all this, simply because they lifted that dreadful security grille. I will of course post more stuff from this brand if they do keep their arms unfolded.