Fred Perry, London



This is not Amy Winehouse

Its all go down at Fred Perry right now.  With the launch of the new collection endorsed by Amy Winehouse  AW10 (I always feel that its rather dubious to say 'designed by' as I always wonder how much actual involvement celebrities have in these collections - possibly none) being launched after a gig to 20 competition winners last week in East London.  I'm really warming to the Fred Perry brand as they have been doing some interesting stuff and Amy Winehouse probably suits this brand rather well.  Anyway, maybe swing by and have a closer look at the collection and see what you think.  In the meantime, this is not AW in my photographs. 



Or in this one either.



John Smedley, London

Earlier this year we saw the 'handmade' trend filtering through store windows.  With this trend we also saw the return towards and the rediscovery of fading skills such as knitting, crotchet, and embroidery. Sales of sewing machines were on the up and of course the incredible quilts seen both at Liberty and the Victoria and Albert Museum were just some of the delights delivered for our perusal.  I've been watching the schemes here at John Smedley for a while now as they have been doing some really interesting stuff.  The windows don't change very often and the space they have is significantly minute for a central London space, however we have seen some really interesting schemes happening here.  The latest installation has included the tiniest handmade figures and narrative scheme.  I adore the 1980's references to David Bowie and the the style of the figures.  Great fun, it drew me in, job done.

Moschino, London

I do love out sized props and Moschino here in London seem to be doing this a lot with their schemes recently.  I cant take credit for the following observation as during a lecture to a group of my students this week, one of them did mention that the out sized pencils on the left of the image are tonally the same as the outfit in the centre of the image.  How wonderful is that?  This scheme gives the illusion that the pencils have some how sketched the fashion placed in a three dimensional format on the bust form protruding from a sketchbook.  This scheme has wonderful humour, I adore the larger than life props and and the quality of this scheme is superb.

Hat Gallery, London

This is one of those exciting discoveries one finds while walking around the city.  The Hat Gallery here along Conduit St. in Central London is definitely worth a visit.  I haven't found out much about this site yet, although when I have a moment I may just swing by and take a closer look.  Here we have the most delicious merchandise in an almost gallery-like environment.  The wooden tripods used here forming the multi-pyramidal dynamic look incredible with the one piece of merchandise in Red forming an interesting focal point amongst all of the black.  The curved wall leads us through the space to the back of the store - I haven't been inside yet so am not yet sure what is beyond that point.  However, do go and check it out and see what this place is all about.

Tiffany, London

I cant help but love this scheme from Tiffany.  With so many out sized props being seen around town recently, it is quite refreshing so see that the product itself is out sized to these figures.  In its simplicity it really is quite stunning and proof if needed that we don't need enormously lavish schemes to have impact.  These windows are both wonderfully humorous and beautifully illuminated that how could one not be drawn in?

Catimini, London

I'm not a great fan of child mannequins.  I think this is possibly due to the sinister overtones that echo around these little fibreglass things.  And, child mannequins that are masked with a woolen hat really do seal the deal for me with regards to how creepy this all looks, actually in its innocence.  I have also never understood retailers insistence in putting hats on headless mannequins either - bizarre.  Anyway,  Catimini clearly needs help with their presentation if anyone out there is willing to do this for this central London retailer?

Jeff De Bruges, London

Jeff De Bruges, London.  Apparently it was Chocolate week last week but we missed it (If they had let me know I would have told you all)  However, we can still always lick the glass or just hope that someone will buy some of this stuff for us anyway.

Anthropologie, London



Anthropologie, London

 

I really do enjoy viewing the schemes at Anthropologie here in London.  This enormous structure fills these windows at the site along Regent st. and reminds me of ones of those mathematical structures one can view at the Science Museum (also here in London) which always seem rather under utilised as a form of reference to develop these concepts.  Still, wherever this installation was developed from the team creative always produce such interesting stuff and this is definitely worth checking out.  The guys inside this store are always so friendly too - a rarity it seems in retail here in the UK.

Evans, London

Come on Evans, sort ya' retail standards out.

Issey Miyake, London

I couldn't help but capture this installation from Issey Miyake.  OK, well the brand is launching their own Evian bottles albeit within a overall cool brand and bottles of the stuff have been placed within a repetition format with vinyl 'motif' flowers' adhered to the fenestration.  My students will be rolling their eyes right now as the mere thought of a 'Motif' is something that is always barred from my studios.  They recognise that this is a last resort by retailers to implement a scheme with minimal output but with the maximum perceived gain.  Anyway, strangely, while these water bottles have been placed in a repetition format, someone didn't quite straighten the mirrored vinyl/background which has actually distorted the bottles of water above.  Whether by default of design this actually works incredibly well and adds a rather more interesting dimension to this concept.

Daks, London

With wool schemes rife around town this week, Daks here have produced an interesting scheme too.  With their use of Mannequins in a White finish and out sized ball of Wool on which the female figure is sat, this really is a simple but effective scheme. Strands of wool have been strung across the background in a variety of matching tones framing this scenario.  I do find Daks's schemes a little 'hit and miss' personally, but when they get it right (at least for me) they really do get it so right.  Thanks guys, this was a pleasure to view.   

Liberty, London

I'm always excited to see what the guys at Liberty here in London are going to do next and they never fail to surprise me.  The latest installation is quite exceptional and what is so interesting here is their quite abstract approach to their installations.  Here we have the latest offering from the creative team which to me is very reminiscent of Hans Bellmar's work and in particular "Death, Desire and the Doll".  Bellmar one said "I want to reveal scandalously the interior that will always remain hidden and sensed behind the successive layers of the human structure and its last unknowns".  Bellmar himself felt [that] "religion was his great enemy, and the Great Britain and America were too puritan to accept his work".  Of course this was written at a time when these countries probably were, however, the problem [he felt] lay between [us] "distinguishing between erotic art (which is at best acceptable) and pornography (which is not)".  While the figures here are neither erotic nor pornographic, what I do find particularly interesting it the use of figures in such an abstract way.  Usually of course mannequins do not 'wear' this kind of merchandise and so this installation has added an additional layer to its use which we don't see very often.  OK, well, some of the mannequins used clearly were never meant to be placed in the position that they have been and in a way this does jar just a little, however maybe this is an indication to suppliers of this stuff that actually we need their product to be able to do a lot more than they currently do?  In the meantime, enjoy this wonderfully avant-garde installation from the coolest guys in town.

This is quite exceptional.....!

This has been very beautifully produced......there should have been crowds around this....!