Mathew Williamson, London

After seeing all of the bling of Christmas lights here in London for what now seems like months, and recently it has been raining almost constantly for several days, it was such a pleasure to see this scheme at Mathew Williamson. I also find myself getting bored with Christmas more and more - a hazard of the industry I suppose. Anyway, a dozen or so exotic birds and butterfly kites have been suspended above these White gloss sprayed figures carrying the merchandise. The figures themselves stand above white clouds giving them the land-of-the giants proportions that I always enjoy. This is further enhanced with the figures being placed next to a tiny shocking Pink house. I did find the images pasted on the right elevation a little distracting and don't think that this is really necessary, however what a great fun scheme which is beautifully produced which gives the viewer a breathing space from all this twinkling lights stuff.

Tiffany, Bond Street, London

While meandering around the streets of London this week, I came across these exquisite Tiffany windows. Now, I must say, I am a fan of the windows that the team here create, however this really is rather exceptional. The tiniest cut paper work fills these tiny little spaces. Of course this didn't take someone all year to cut these individually, I would say, that the laser cutter somewhere has been working overtime. I adore laser cut paper as one achieve the most remarkable results. Jewellery is very difficult to work with, but here we zoom in on the product contained within these narratives. Exceptional stuff and such a real treat to see. I only wish someone would redesign the interior space of this store that supported these magnificent schemes.

Student work

Following a lecture and seminar on the theme of Commodification within their Visual Culture and Theory sessions, students were tasked with visiting different parts of the city. My students were asked to visit Soho in central London and to identify something there which was being commodified. The students were then asked to record examples of this commodification and create a map of the area using these examples as reference points/points of interest. My students chose sex as their commodity and created a conceptual 3D map of Soho marking their route using these on stickers on the objects, related to sex, found and bought there.

The students say [that], This installation is a representation of the commodity of sex in Soho London, commodity meaning its prime purpose is sale in a market place. It is a record of the journey taken in Soho and contains examples of sex being commodified. Yellow lighting was used to give the installation a softer feel but is contrasted by the shadow that has been cast in the background, which is almost beast like and expresses the negative affects that commodity has had on sex.

Camper, London

Camper is perhaps one of those brands that create a simple yet a strong visual statement within thier spaces. I have seen quite a few of these stores on my travels and I am always quite amazed at how effective they are with their concepts. This is the fairly new store along Regent st. here in London. Unfortunately these are not the best images having been taken through very smeary glass but nonetheless we can at least get the idea. I haven't been inside this store yet, although it is very very small, to enable me to get a close up of what appear to be red coloured leaves or petals attached to the wall on the left and on the seating. Behind the seating the wall is covered with mirror. The back wall is a simple light box which covers the whole space, in front of which the cash desk is placed. The merchandise has then been layed out in rows. Simple and beautifully produced, what a pleasure to view it on my journey.

Juicy Couture, London

I don't quite understand this concept from Juicy here in London. The previous two schemes have been incredibly well produced and clearly communicating the concept (or at least allowed one to interpret it) This scheme has left me with a big question mark. A figure with a tiger mask, bags of popcorn and 'circus' type suspended lighting. Are we looking at a Circus scene perhaps? If this is the case I would have thought that the Juicy team would have made much more of a statement with this rather than a few lights and and a few masks. Anyway, after producing such great schemes previously maybe they should be forgiven for ones which don't quite communicate the intention - after all we all have bad days. I am however just a little confused why this has been installed and this time of year, ya know, being Christmas an' all that?

Prada, London

While flaneuring the city recently I happened upon these windows within the Bond St. site of Prada. Now, I did find myself questioning what was happening here? The simplicity of the scheme could be forgiven and I wasn't quite sure if something else was about to be unveiled behind these curtains. Unfortunately, time and the the appalling weather here in London have not enabled me to get back and have another look. However, what struck me here was that for such a premium brand I was quite stunned that they would use such a shabby looking material, whether this was temporary, or not. The material has not been ironed, in places it is rouched and the seams are very uneven. Maybe the concept has been unveiled since I took these images, but I would have thought that with the high cost of this product, surely one would use a beautiful and equally expensive material? Anyway, I guess stranger things happen.

Asprey, London

While meandering along Bond St. here in London on my way to Dover st. market, the scheme at Asprey caught my eye. Well, OK the truth of it is actually, I got a glimpse of the tree below. I managed to just about capture it through the glass and as you are able to see it really is quite magical. I was therefore just a little disappointed with the trees in the store windows which, well, dull by comparison. Now, I will be careful here as Big Brother informs me that Asprey have been reading my previous thoughts, although I wouldn't say anything mean anyway. However, of course, the scheme is produced to their usual exceptional standards and I do love the silver birch (?) logs in the windows, (which Hermes did last year and Anthropologie are also doing) but the trees just don't do anything for me. I think I was spoiled by seeing the interior installation first, who knows? Ultimately, the workmanship is superb, the ideas are there and they are always a pleasure to view.

Calvin Klein, London

Swinging by Regent St. the other day, (no pun or reference to the above image intended here) I came across this scheme from Calvin Klein. I seem to remember being rather bemused at the previous scheme (I think because of the very, very heterosexual overtones) and this really doesn't make things any clearer or defined. I am not sure where to go with this scheme as it is rather perhaps chaotic? For me at least it is reminiscent of my childhood and swinging on ropes around some place called 'scenic drive' and ultimately falling (I have the miserable photos to prove it too) Anyway, this scheme, at least to me is one of those buttock clenching 'gap fillers' produced when someone doesn't know where else to go. I am actually not sure if there is a creative team for this brand beyond the product? Anyway, this is a generic scheme and one can imagine the marketing office in their boardroom thinking, OK, well does anyone have any ideas what to do next. No. OK then lets just have a load of figures hanging from ropes. OK, that sounds good, lets do it. And here we have it. Perhaps another meddling marketing team non-concept? I will let you decide while I unfurl my toes. In the mean time, I am taking refuge and cleansing myself at Anthropologie just a few doors away seeing what delicious new ideas the team are working on.

Alexander McQueen, London

I've been following the schemes at McQueens for a long time now, and over the past several months the schemes have become ever more exciting. With experimentation, of course comes the danger of things falling apart. This is the excitement and why we do this stuff. Anyway, while meandering around town a couple of weeks ago in my Flaneur capacity I happened upon this latest scheme (well latest a few weeks ago). Now, I think I have mentioned before that it is quite incredibly difficult to work within the confines of this space, however the creative team have recently developed some rather exciting schemes which I have been gradually including. Anyway, I did gasp a little in finding this scheme and the site of the Fall of a Silent Seller. I always feel for the teams who install these schemes as this is always one of the worst things that can happen and I did feel a tinge a guilt photographing it although this is reality and no one is exempt, in fact this has happened to me too. Anyway, I think the reason I did record it was because of the quite surreal visual that was left. A Mannequin had fallen almost out of site leaving just her Designer hat and Designer two fingers. Thankfully there was no awful white price sticker on the bottom of her shoes - naturally. There is message in here somewhere.

Nicole Farhi, London

I do like land of the Giants 'stuff' in window schemes that dwarfs everything around it. I thought these rather outsized but perfectly formed snowballs here at Nicole Farhi along Bond street in London work very well indeed. The windows to this store are really quite small and therefore it is always quite surptising the type of schemes that the team here creates. There is very little to say about this scheme other than it contains outsized snowballs. However, its a simple concept, which allows the viewer to focus on the product and yet set a context in which the product is placed without fighting with it. Its fun, simple, and worth a view if you happen to be this part of town any time before the dreaded sale windows kick in.

Guess, London

When I come across these types of schemes on my travels I do tend to struggle to sometimes even describe them. Perhaps, this is because there simply is so little personality to these generic schemes, or perhaps my anti-globalisation hormones just kick in and simply prevent me from even wanting too, I just don't know. Anyway, as with so many of these 'types' of stores, while they provide a product for a certain and clearly defined target audience (and clearly not me) I do find myself sighing with boredom. Young figures dressed in as much product as possible placed in front of old style record sleeves and stood or sat on old style record cases with 'Holiday with Guess' written along the sides.

Now, Big Brother once again does inform me that the Guess team around the world have been checking me out so I shouldn't be too harsh. However, as I mentioned in another blog recently, all this stuff-out-of-the-manual is so incredibly flat and I am so bored with seeing it. Please can someone inject a bit of creativity into these schemes and give us something to be excited about. In the meantime, with regard to Holidaying with Guess.......I know where I will be....and .....well, I'm on my way to Anthropologie to be inspired and cleansed of the visual pollution on this High street.

Fortnum and Mason, London

I don't normally photograph these types of windows which can also be seen annually at Saks on 5th Avenue in New York only with moving figures. I do tend to give them a very wide berth. However, what I do like here is the fact that the team have taken a rather unconventional approach in using Mathew Bourne's Swan lake ballet as their inspiration. Now, I did mention in my last blog about this brand before this installation was complete that I suspected that that was the initial starting point. Ok, it is a little literal, however if you have seen Mathew Bourne's version which is pure brilliance, then I feel perhaps you also would also find a connection with this scheme. In Bourne's version all of the Swan's are played by males, the sets are superbly produced, lighting is dramatic and the spectacle is thrilling. As I said before this must be on your list of things to see before you die. Anyway, in the meantime while you are waiting for the production to hit town, go and see the windows at Fortnum's - beautiful.

Stella McCartney, London

A colleague of mine laughed recently when she read my previous entry about this brand. She did mention that I was ranting a little at the scheme that had been installed here. She was probably right, although it was not intentional but I did struggle to find anything constructive to say about it. Anyway, what I have noticed about the installations here is that they are all pitched at precisely the same level. This interests me. I am guessing that the same company or person is coming up with these 'ideas'. I am finding that I am padding out this entry as I don't wish to be derogatory as this is not what this blog is about, so hang on with me here. As I turned around the corner to see this installation, which incidentally covers the whole of the building and I did gasp a little and OMFG popped into my mind. You can view a short video of it on my YouTube site channel:Jhvefun. Having been, at least initially a little stunned at this spectacle as it reminded me of staying with friends in the Bronx in New York in the Winter of 1999 and someone had something similar, albeit on a smaller scale hanging outside their apartment. And theirs played Christmas carols too. Anyway, as the days got colder and the longer the lights were on the flatter the tunes that came from these lights became. Naturally this amused us enormously. Well, this scheme does what it does I suppose and I cant really say any more about it. You either love it or hate it. I know how I feel about it, and I bet it cost a fortune too.