Florence, Italy

Courtesy and Copyright Morgan Lin



I don't often see images of store windows from Florence.  Thanks to one of our contacts at http://www.retailstorewindows.com/ they have sent on some examples of some of the things that are happening right now.  How exciting.  Although I don't know where these images we taken, I have to admit the scheme here is rather stunning.

Courtesy and Copyright Morgan Lin



Vince, New York

I'm not wholly familiar with this brand as they have no European presence as far as I'm aware.  However, with the level of globalisation that we can experience on the high street, I fear that it wont be long before I see a store from this brand along Regent st. back in London.  Part of the pleasure of visiting the high street of cities such as New York is being able to experience different brands and their offer and while I haven't shopped here yet myself they do form part of the high streets identity and create the excitement that that entails.  Although I have only seen their schemes once before they always seem witty and fun.

Printemps Department store, Paris



Image Courtesy and Copyright Fiona Floulkes

  In Paris right now.  Printemps Department store, Paris


Image Courtesy and Copyright Fiona Floulkes



Dior, New York

One cant help but notice the new...ish fascias of the Dior stores right now.  We've seen it in Dubai in the Mall of Dubai and also recently, albeit a 'mini me' version at the newly opened Bond st. site in London.  I must say that I adore the new Dior illuminated fascias but I'm not so sure about their window schemes.  This one, however is great fun with mannequins perched on these silver 'pillows' moving vertically from floor to ceiling all day.  That said, the mannequins here, while of course are the best quality, always look a little either stunned or rather stilted rather than possessing the fluidity and grace that one might expect to represent this historically loaded brand?  A warmer skin tone, make up and bigger hair would have helped here as the females here look just as I feel - frozen.

On the streets, New York

Street trader downtown New York selling decoupaged mannequin parts.

Diane Von Furstenberg, New York

I've seen this store several times on previous visits to New York and they do tend to do some quite impressive installations.  The current scheme here at Diane Von Furstenberg in the Meatpacking district has these printed boxes placed in a pyramidal format.  The mannequins also have the same 'love is life' logo which has been carried out thought the store on fixtures, post it notes and so on.  Of course we saw this kind of printed mannequin technique at Alexander McQueen in London several months ago and again at Louis Vuitton (although those were hand painted).  Still, it is fun scheme at this store which certainly leads the way amongst all of the other stores I've seen from this brand.

On the Streets, New York



One very sick Santa, NYC



On the Streets, New York

Spotted while walking around the Meatpacking district this continues the paper pasted 'graffiti' trend that seems so popular here.  Temporary prints gradually weathered by time, so interesting.

Bloomingdales, New York

For some reason I nearly always forget to have a look at the windows at Bloomingdale's, and so I have made a special effort to go and check them out for you.  This year it was worth taking the time on one of my late night walks of the city to record the scheme here.  While of course the effect is rather less dramatic during the few day light hours we have this time of year, at night time large screens or projected images really do come alive.  While this is not the most lavish scheme I have seen here in the Big Apple, it really is quite dramatic due to the scale of it.  The repetition of these screens and images is quite breathtaking and yet no product in site.  A bold move and a bold scheme.  I really do quite like it. 

On the streets, New York

Of course this wouldn't be New york with at least one image of Andy Warhol somewhere here.  Actually there are a lot of images dotted around the city.  So here's one for you.

Dash, New York

I'm not one for keeping up with the Jones's but Keeping up with the Kardashians, erm...certainly no.  I found myself wondering why there was a queue (or line if you are reading this stateside) outside of this store on Spring street, Lower Manhatten and it transpires that this is the latest fashion store from the Kardashian sisters Kim, Kourtney and Kloe.  I've had only ever seen queues of people outside of stores in cities such as Tokyo where it seems to be the norm, but more and more I'm finding this happening outside Aberzombie (my spelling), Hollister and again at Ugg too.  How can such dreadful product be so desirable?  Still, I guess these guys are buying into the marketing dream and I do hope that it will enhance and give their lives some meaning - honest.  I think I'll give them all a miss myself and as for the new Kardashian Kredit Kard - no thanks.  In the meantime I really do quite like the mosaiced mannequins which act like a siren to announce the stores presence, and no product at all in site - very Konfident.

On the streets, New York (Brooklyn)

Spotted on the streets of Willamsburg in Brooklyn another paper pasted work of Art.  I don't know the significance of this, or if there is any significance at all, however it an interesting, possibly drawn or printed piece of work nonetheless.  Place some product in front of it...and...voila.

Ralph Lauren, New York

I had heard about the new Ralph Lauren mansion at the top of Madison Avenue through one of my contacts and naturally had to go and take a look for myself.  This store is stunning.  This new mansion house houses the womens wear collections and mirrors the Ralph Lauren mansion opposite which houses the menswear.  Apparently a 1960's building was here before this store was built in its Beaux Art style I believe, and it took three months just to  install all of the decorative plaster work.  This really is a grand old place with merchandise placed strategically around the store while maintaining the sense that the space was once a home.  Of course, it never was, but fabulous seasonally decorated chandeliers and gorgeous garlands this really is place to view.