Harrods, London

If you haven't had the opportunity to view the Christmas scheme at Harrods, then here's a little snapshot for you.  I must say that I am rather wowed by the scheme that the creative team  have produced here.  The amount of detail is quite superb and on such a large scale, quite amazing.  These guys have clearly been worked hard to achieve what they have and the outcome is quite delicious and Uber glamorous.  These are examples of images of the side windows that the team have installed but I will publish the main scheme later on at midday, so, just watch this space.

Oliver Bonas, London

Image Courtesy and Copyright Shell Thomas

If you want to view one of the current trends in store windows right now, then you must have a look at Oliver Bonas.  Shell Thomas and her amazing laser cut cardboard work have been wonderfully utilised to create the seasonal scheme here.  Laser cut cardboard is clearly becoming big in schemes along side the use of Copper with some of the 'inovators' as we can see it all around town particularly at brands such as Pull and Bear and a few months ago at River Island too.  Here, Shell Thomas has created these Deer families based on the work of Sanna  Annuka and her work as illustrator of "Contemporary folk" to create this nod to Christmas.  If you don't know the work of Shell Thomas then you must check out her site.  Simultaneously gentle and talented you really couldn't do wrong using this incredible designer for your future schemes.  Remember, its all about the laser cut cardboard right now, and I have a feeling that we will be seeing a lot more of it very soon and certainly more of the work of Shell Thomas too.  Check Shell out at  www.shellthomas.com   

Images Courtesy and Copyright Shell Thomas



MCM, London

I don't know much about this brand other than they have a site on Sloane st.  However, from a Visual Merchandising point of view, this kind of stuff just scares me.

Diesel, London

Image Courtesy and Copyright Diesel

The scheme currently at Diesel's Bond st. site must be absolutely the best I have ever seen from this company.  It was so incredibly interesting too, to see where these concepts have developed from, the various influences that were gleaned and  the process of idea generation gone through making this simply wonderful visually, yet maintaining a great sense of meaning.  With the gorgeous photography from Xevi Muntane and the ever talented Kyle Bean (you may remember him from his installation at Selfridges a few months ago) what a better way to end this year with this brand than on such an electric high?  The level of detail within this scheme is exceptional with its black vinyl cut out trees, mossy flooring, tiny cut out people dwarfed by the Inca-esque temple and comparatively giant cut out images from Muntane's photography hovering in the background, this really is Visual Merchandising porn at its very best - and not a bauble or piece of tinsel in site - relief.

Image Courtesy and Copyright Diesel



Image Courtesy and Copyright Diesel



Matches Fashion, London



Image Courtesy matchesfashion.com



If you haven't seen the latest and seasonal offering from Matches you really are in for a treat.  With 13 stores in total stretching from Wimbledon, Richmond, Notting Hill to Mayfair and Marylebone, these stores ooze everything a fabulous boutique should be.  Their current scheme uses these cut out White forms and high White gloss Mannequins creating a winter wonderland with a sense of depth around the product - no easy task in these small spaces.  There is no need for any detail in this scheme as our creative minds fill in the gaps and our eyes are focused on the product itself. We are teased just a little in our attempts to see the product beyond the immediate scheme and as we are naturally curious beings, we are simply drawn in to take a closer look - job well done I'd say. 



Image Courtesy matchesfashion.com



Aquascutum, London

It must be Christmas at Aquascutum.  After all, there is an advent calender display in their windows.  Its just so rocking this Christmas along this end of town, hey?  Would someone please wake me when the anaesthetic has worn off?

Levis, London

I've been following what this store have been doing for quite some time now and since their re-launch several months ago, Levi's have been showcasing the most incredible schemes and works of Art.  This year 'Levi's London is celebrating [this] Christmas through the eyes of one of London's most talented craft workers inviting Gary Card to create a unique installation in the original space'.  Levi's approached Gary Card 'with three words, Denim, Spots and Play [his] immediate reaction was to create somewhere to explore and discover.'  If you haven't seen this store, do go and check it out along Regent st. as they do produce some wonderful stuff.  Even if you don't like the brand or the product Levi's have very successfully drawn me in and I may just go and take a closer look inside any day soon.

Lladro, London

A lot of hope and just a little too many glasses of the joy.  Come on Lladro, straighten up your '&'s.

Anthropologie, London

I really do enjoy viewing what this brand does.  The amount of creativity oozing from this store in particular along Regent st. is phenomenal.  Here we have a kind of market feel to their current presentation with strategically placed products and in repetition of a variety of clocks.  Completely and wonderfully unseasonal apart from the antlers popping up in various guises - a breath a fresh air. 

Esprit, London

I'm a bit disappointed with Esprit using very scratched mannequins at the moment.  Unfortunately too, these are right at the front of their window scheme facing the customer flow along Regent st.  If the brand is trying to entice their customers into their space, and of course they are, this is not good practice.  Come on guys swap your mannequins over, put some decent ones in your windows and have the scratched ones renovated.  Having mannequins renovated is relatively cheap compared to buying new ones.  After all, this industry is all about presentation.

Nicole Farhi, London

Nicole Farhi have consistently produced the most incredible schemes throughout 2010 and we will leave this year on an even higher note with their collaboration with the Artist and Art Director Su Blackwell.  Su Blackwell "works within the realms of fairytale and folklore.......making a series of book-sculpture, cutting out images from old books to create three-dimensional diorama's and displaying them inside wooden boxes."  [She] "leans towards young-girl characters, placing them in haunting, fragile settings, expressing the vulnerability of childhood while also conveying a sense of childhood, while also conveying a sense of childhood anxiety and wonder".

I am so pleased to see the consistent collaborations of Artists and Designers at this brand throughout the year which has really enriched the whole commercial experience and entertained us along the way.  If you haven't seen these windows in the flesh, do go and have a look along Bond st. and marvel at their installation.  Beautifully executed with a sense of depth informed through an educated process and clear understanding of the business while providing a quality scheme worthy of commendation.  Thank you to the creative team at Nicole Farhi for your contribution to the Visual Merchandising Industry throughout 2010.  

Asprey and Garrard, London

It was a pleasant and refreshing experience to see the final installation of 2010 from Asprey and Garrard recently.  I havent always liked what they do but I must say I am rather surprised and pleased to see such a sumptuous and beautifully produced nod to the season without being too obvious.  I think the fact that we can now see a little inside the space really adds to the appeal here too and gives a wonderful sense of space around their installations which perhaps have looked in retrospect a little claustrophobic over the year.  With this gorgeous purple 'leafed' background and repetition of radiating forms on which product has been placed on and around, we are ending the year on a high note with this brand for which I am really pleased.  Go and have a look at their Christmas tree too - magical stuff.

Boutique, One New Change, London

I haven't been to One New Change yet - London's newest shopping Mall near St. Paul's Cathedral.  One of our regular readers however sent this incredible image of some bust forms wearing lingerie.  OK, well, whats so odd about that I hear you ask?  Well, if you look closely, these are very hairy hessian covered bust forms wearing lingerie.  Bizarre hey?  I don't know who has produced these bust forms as I don't recognise them from any UK based quality manufacturer's collections, but with their dreadful cut out heads too I just don't know what these guys here were thinking?  Why on earth would you put gorgeous delicate lingerie on a hairy old bust form?  Of course I appreciate that the hairier female is attractive in some cultures (but we're not viewing Eastern European Olympic athletes from the 1970's if you get my drift?) so I cant imagine why this boutique have done this?  The seasonal and obligatory snow on the floor surrounding these forms can only make it look like the lingerie has badly chaffed these figures and left  piles of skin flakes making this even less desirable and with the merchandise hanging like an old rag why would you want to shop there?  I empathise with independent retailers like this to a point, although you get what you pay for and if you wont invest in quality Visual Merchandising kit, then I'll just have to swing by and tell everyone.  I am shuddering as I write.