Georgina Goodman, London

I must confess that I don't know much about Georgina Goodman as a brand and, of course as a male I don't buy this kind of product (fabulous designer shoes). I have passed this store many times - always at night time - and I have often seen these spinning spherical-like structures in the window that seem to me to present the 'hero's' of Georgina's range and I do find them quite mesmerising. Naturally, simply photographing this and sharing it with you does not really do it justice as the spinning sphere-like structures (that look like something from the Science Museum's collection) need to be shown actually spinning and therefore I have once again included a short video of the window. For some reason my short videos always seem to make London look like Winter time. This was actually quite a particular balmy evening, but I hope you enjoy.

Vivienne Westwood, Conduit Street, London

I don't often write about Vivienne Westwood windows as nothing significantly changes. However, as I walked my city usual walk in my 'flaneur' mode, I came across this little gem along Conduit Street in London. The windows here, contain bust forms which I believe are by Proportion London (the link to them is on the right hand side of this page) in a stripey fabric. Unusually, the windows contain these rosette 'like' structures which act as a kind of backdrop to the figures and merchandise, with an almost confetti like design vinyl on the glass. It is not clear what the story is here other than an abstract concept, however needless to say I did feel compelled to record these windows as ones which have become quite significant in the overall scheme and were therefore a delight to view and worth sharing.

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Museum of Branding, Packaging and Advertising

I recorded this while on a recent visit to the Museum of Branding, Packaging and Advertising here in London, although I cant actually remember what this 'thing' is is called. Essentially it is a concertinaed structure which is viewed through a tiny reveal at the front of the structure which gives the impression of a 'scene' through a space - if that makes sense. The reason I have recorded this is because I thought it was an incredible concept for a commercial space. Unfortunately the images are not very clear due to the nature of how it is viewed, however as commercial spaces, by their very nature are transitory (or at least should be) I thought this was an innovative and useful way of changing the space without the enormous cost of a re-build or re-fit?

Museum of Brands Packaging and Advertising

The Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising is absolutely one of my favourite small Museums in London. The Robert Opie collection I believe consists of around 12,000 items. What is so interesting here is that one is able to view long forgotten items and ones that you never knew existed..! Toothpaste in ceramic jars, tiny bottles of perfume from the reign of Queen Victoria, right up until the present time. There are numerous items to kick start ideas for product presentation and commercial interiors, from eras that no-one is left to remember. One of my favourite cases contains bottles and containers of contemporary brands through a kind of metamorphosis over time. What always amuses me is that the medicine and 'health' product containers have become smaller while the boxes of chocolates and other consumables have become bigger - an amazing indication of the sign of our times.

Rome Store windows

Further along Via Condotti in Rome I happened to come across these stores - Stuart Weitzman (above) and Vicmatie (below). The Stuart Weitzman store reminds me a little of Frank Gehry's Issey Miyake store on Hudson in New York. Of course the Miyake store is rather more sophisticated than this one although while teaching my students about fashion trends recently, I thought that this was such a great example of how Commercial spaces as in Fashion are possibly translated from the designer stores (albeit on the high street) to the more commercial ventures? What I cant say of course is that there is a direct link between the two stores in relation to their design and that one was in fact influenced by the other, however it is interesting how closely the designs are linked.

The Vicmatie store had an interesting concept based on the repetition of a photographic image. I thought that this concept needs to be a much bigger statement. Perhaps the use of a backdrop of some kind would have created a much stronger context and varying the size of the repeated photographs beyond those in vinyl on the glass - which incidentally I think works very well.

Rome store windows

Rome is not very well known for its store windows, however, of course the designer brands always come up with the 'goods'. While walking along Via Condotti - the Bond Street and the 5th Avenue equivalent in Rome I came across these windows. The top image is from Gucci who have used a three dimensional stage set perspective view that is developed from and reflected in their merchandise and close by Moschino created these three dimensional animal shaped forms using an origami technique.

Valentino, London

I love this idea displayed in Valentino's windows at the moment. It consists of a series of four boxes which have at the centre a type of sand blasted effect material which hides the product. Each one illuminates alternately revealing the product behind (handbags) It is very difficult to see this from a 'still' and in day light, however in the video below I think it really does begin to become alive. In the evening when there is less reflection on the glass it does look particularly exceptional.

Chanel, Sloane Street, London

I really do love Chanel's products. They are absolutely at the forefront of fashion, and the store in SoHo in New York is particularly wonderful, as are the people who work there. However, ......and I never wish to be derogatory...... and this is not what this blog is about, although I am just simply not sure how to interpret their windows - and I have felt like this for along time, if I am honest. I have never met anyone who has produced their schemes, not that I suppose that means anything really, but I am interested in who does. I feel that this concept is one of their better ones and that the details look amazing, yet, from an emotional response perspective I am always left feeling that something somewhere is missing in their concepts? I have looked at, and followed Chanel for a long time in many different cities and I do find it quite difficult to be constructive about their presentation. I must ask 'followers' what do you think? Am I being harsh? Chanel display team, please let me know the context in which these concepts are produced? I would dearly like to work on the concepts for these schemes.

Death Masks and early Mannequin forms?

A little while ago I began researching into the use of figures in commercial environments as a form of the reflected self. As I was thinking through the project, I decided that I needed to somehow track back more than one hundred years and begin to look at the possible permutations that these forms had developed through and possibly from. I decided to visit the British Museum which I knew had some examples of mummies in their vast collection and interestingly I came across not only the usual pieces as above, but also these very early examples of 'masks' taken from the dead which were subsequently painted. Of course I have no proof that figures used in contemporary commercial environments have any link to these early forms, however using a surface approach there do seem to be some strong links that perhaps need further exploration.

Marni, London

I think many of us have seen this store in several publications over several years and it really still is a gem of a store along Sloane Street, London. What is so interesting is seeing how this concept is translated into concessions within department stores - usually it seems it is a mini version of this flagship and it still looks wonderful. I do think this store is particularly pioneering and I really do wish we could see more and more retailers being so experimental as this Marni store have been only with merchandise, perhaps, that is a little more affordable.

Browns focus, South Molton Street, London

Walking along South Molton street recently, while walking the city, I came across these fun windows at Browns focus. I have always enjoyed seeing props. within windows that have 'land of the giants' type proportions. Here of course we have the giant 1980's style mobile telephone and the perpetually popular Rubix cube. There is clearly an 80's theme happening here. Something that I think I personally would have considered is maybe taking a much more holistic approach and perhaps used the rest of the building on the outside as an opportunity to carry the theme through and really make a big statement.

Moschino, London

This was quite a bizarre scheme that I came across in London's Moschino store recently. Strings of mainly white out sized 'beads' with the odd coloured one were strung across the window with one piece of merchandise displayed. The one piece of merchandise scenario, of course is a sign of a very confident retailer, rather than the pile 'em high, sell 'em cheap strategy used by multiples in the High Street. I wasn't quite sure what to make of this scheme however, as it doesn't really say anything to me - perhaps that's the point? Perhaps its just one of those gap filling concepts that isnt supposed to say anything, it just is? I couldn't think of any way of deconstructing the concept other than it being used purely for decorative purposes. But who knows?

Mall of the Emirates, Dubai

I'm not a great fan of shopping malls, but one Shopping Mall that I actually found myself enjoying recently is the Mall of the Emirates in Dubai. The Mall of the Emirates really does have it all under one roof. How many places can you go to in searing heat and ski on real snow in minus something degrees? Ok, well I know this could not be achieved naturally and I did have pangs of guilt while taking my skiing lesson in a faux Alpine landscape (incidentally which smells as if a lorry has just reversed into a garage pumping out its obnoxious fumes). And I ski very badly much to the annoyance of Alfonso my Italian instructor, who looks at me pitifully as my legs are contorted in all sorts of directions that I never knew were possible, particularly the splits (ouch..!) and I still haven't learned how to stop as I regularly crash into the barriers surrounded with yellow tape that scream danger and I usually end up splattered on the glass screen next to the restaurant at the end of the slope, much to the amusement of the diners, leaving Alfonso to peal me off the glass while tutting and rolling his eyes in dismay. Anyway, putting aside the environmental issues, my bad skiing and Alfonso's frustrations, this Mall not only has amazing stores including my favourite home store 'The One' and Ski Dubai, it also has its own stage and Mall entertainment and these amazing fountains on the outside of the Mall which do their stuff every few minutes or so with different music although usually, the soundtrack to the film Mission Impossible. However, they really are a spectacular display of lights, water and explosions of fire. Very impressive. I do think that they probably work better at night time?