Cuba, On the Streets

Images Copyright and Courtesy of 'MEB'

Here at http://www.retailstorewindows.com/ towers we recently received images from our gorgeous and ever so talented newly septuagenarian 'MEB'.  MEB is one of our covert and ever so kind eyes around the world.  'M' as she is so affectionately known to us, globe trots for hours, days and months in search of the latest and greatest from around the world - tough job for some hey?  OK seriously she really did pull out all the stops to seek out the latest gorgeous spaces and places from Cuba.  So where are they?  I hear you ask.  Well there are none (or at least only a few), save for a Paul and Shark - and lets face it who cares about brands like that anyway?  Ultimately there were very few.  As this site is about capturing the zeitgeist we have here some gorgeous images of some wonderful 1950's American cars that rattle around the streets of Havana, many often now hand painted, but always treated like the matriarch of the family - with the greatest respect and highly treasured. 

On the one hand this is a great 1950's American theme park of a city, on the other, nearly everyone is so desperately poor.  If any of you remember Brezhnev's Russia, particularly from the 1980's when tourists could only shop in designated stores and Moscowvites really did come up to you in the street and ask if they could buy the clothes you were stood in (yes, they really did) or the Levis adverts of young males trying to sneak in pairs of Denims into the USSR, this is the same story but now its 2011 - bonkers, surely?  How can a Government - well dictatorship - allow its people to live so desperately and from our reports, so poorly?  As we see revolt after revolt by the people of these types of countries from around the world (and rightly so), it can surely only be a matter of time before these regimes explode and implode into some kind of horror story?  We've seen the likes of the Marco's, Amin's, and no doubt soon Mugabe, deposed and its only a matter of time before the Castro's are too.  Not that I wish to see Banana Republic, Old Navy, or any other mega bland brand-type stores destroy or re-brand this history, and hopefully after the inevitable revolution which will undoubtedly happen, hopefully we will see a new and fresh direction happen beyond the hideous global branding and visual-by-manual mentality. Who knows?  I just hope these guys don't  crave t-shirts from Gap, sweaters from Benetton and god forbid pairs of Uggs.  (maybe Cubuggs?)   However, these guys possibly made a lot of this stuff anyway, although, I feel, it may still be seen, sadly, as aspirational.

Galler Chocolates, Ghent, Belgium

If you happen to be in Belgium naturally you have to try their best export - Chocolate.  Galler "is a luxury chocolate house of which there are many in Belgium".  "The window appeals because of its uses the cocoa pods to house the finished product before being packaged in a sumptuous Orange coloured box."  I'm yet to have the opportunity to explore the delights Belgium and particularly the Chocolate experience.  

Images Courtesy and Copyright Clare Scutts

B Store, London

Do you ever wander along Saville Row?  I must admit that its not the kind of place that's on my mind as a destination for shopping.  Well known of course for its tailored suits of exceptional quality to the Kings, Princes, Dukes of the world and I guess more recently city slickers and those with enough money to buy into the history of this street.  However, while Aberzombie (my mis-spelling) has moved into the old Jil Sander store which if I remember correctly was originally an old bank at one end of the street, there still is a beacon of hope at the other in the form of B Store.  OK, well, I must confess I know nothing about this brand / store to share with you, however the presentation is so interesting.  With their museum-like artefact's lined up in their window space and their abstract figure as their focal point announcing the bleeding thumb whittling club cut in vinyl and placed on the glass I was drawn in to take a closer look.  Unfortunately I was in a rush (as is London life) and on my way to see one of my clients so I didn't have time to take a closer look.  Next time I'm in the area , I will certainly make the time to go in and  have a closer inspection, but in the meantime, just enjoy this interesting installation.

Moschino, London

Thankfully, Mulberry is not the only one who is doing something interesting right now during the dreaded Sale period.  Moschino along Conduit st. seem to produce a lot of out sized props in their schemes and have done so for quite a while. I always feel that these are great fun.  I don't always like them, but they are great fun nonetheless.  Here we have this giant sized Sellotape-type dispenser, from which is dispensed a similar fabric to the dress being show cased.  This is not a lavish scheme of course, although I do like out sized stuff in windows and it is a refreshing break from all of the Red plastered Sale windows around town right now.

Mulberry, London

Thankfully in these dark months of Sale windows, Mulberry (whom I don't always write kind things about) are providing an oasis of beautiful things at their site along Bond st.  I was concerned that we would spend this month looking at traditional Sale windows - traditional in the sense of large format graphics and windows completely blanked out with a mass of Red.  However, Mulberry are currently saving the day and providing this great spectacle for us with their cartoon cut outs and out-sized Pink roses.  Great fun, cheers Mulberry. 

Louis Vuitton, London

New scheme is coming.......and coming very soon.......had a sneaky preview through the blinds tonight.....its another winner.....of course.....!  Watch this space for the launch.  While I'm trying not to tease you, what I saw does look amazing.....soooo will post the latest scheme for you all later.

Cos, London

As Sale windows go, while this is a very simple scheme from Cos, although the tiny details here make it just that little bit more interesting.  OK, well it is just a hanging graphic with the zeros and O's punched out, but on closer inspection, some wonderful words have also been printed randomly across it.  What more can I possibly say about it really?

Desiguel, London

After a whole month of entries from New York, its sadly time to focus back on London.  I say sad, as I found some amazing schemes across the pond and its Sale time back here and not the most visually exciting time of the year but but then by the nature of travelling, at some point you have to return.  Anyway, on my quest to find some kind of innovation - and it has been difficult -  here's the first for you.  OK, well, not the most exciting scheme I've ever seen, only a slight variation on the Sale theme.  Here, at Desiquel, their vinyl informs us they they love Sale (I don't particularly) however with their giant sized t-shirt, this scheme is salvaged from the ranks of  the hideous.  But only just.

Lamp Works Inc., New York

While wandering the city along East 58th st. recently I came across Lamp Works Inc. and this fun installation which I believe is called Art de Triomphe.  For a company that sells lighting fixtures, I felt that this was a wonderfully abstract way of creating interest around a product without actually obviously selling it.  With its gravity defying garden scene, I was compelled to record it and show it to you as this is such an innovative way of drawing me in to the space without the direct sales angle.  Wonderful stuff.

Oliver Peoples, New York

How do you present glasses / spectacles creatively?  Well we only have to look to Oliver Peoples to find the answer.  Strategically placed around Manhattan (this one at the top of Madison) I couldn't help but record this for you.  I actually really like the simplicity of their presentation, even though the product doesn't look very exciting here, at least for me anyway.   However, I took several images for you as the surround changes colour in a way that only digitally recording this would have captured.  With the product worn by the Hollywood elite (possibly translated as far too much money to spend)  this clearly is an Uber cool brand.  I'm unlikely to purchase anything here myself, but I do enjoy what they have produced visually.

Urban Outfitters, New York

I do enjoy going to view this brand on occasions.  Not every occasion however, as it always feels like a very unfriendly brand (unlike its gorgeous sister Anthropologie, but then they don't do menswear, so whats the use?).  I've taken these images almost in a two or one finger(s) up (depending on where you are reading this) to the brand.  Maybe that's what they want that?  Anyway, I do love to go and have a look nonetheless and see what these guys are doing as I do enjoy their commercial spaces and the visual interest that they create.  The merchandise however is the usual club wear so give me All Saints any day.  How many knitted hats, tea shirts, Far-Eastern-manufactured-looking-gimmicky-products and pairs of straight leg jeans does someone actually want, right?  And and the stuff is hardly massluxe even if the price tag is.  But anyway, I love the creative and clubby atmosphere.  If that's what Urban Outfitters want.....that's what they've got.  But, pseudo brand heritage?  Oh who cares......I only ever just go and look and never spend money here anyway, do you?

Behind the scenes at Bernstein Mannequin Display

Click on link below for full story:

http://runwaypassport.com/blog/behind-scenes-bernstein-mannequin-display

The Bedford Cheese Shop, Brooklyn, New York

I don't know much about the Bedford Cheese shop here in Williamsburg - the cooler part of Brooklyn.  However, I couldn't resist recording this scheme for you as the company found such a fun way of showing their product.  Food is always so difficult to make fun (as far as  Visual Merchandising is concerned at least) and of course seen very often as not a very glamorous option for beginner VM's - fashion being No. 1 of course.  However, I think these guys did such a superb job with the Cheeses shown here in the pyramidal format and farm animals placed to create this out sized narrative.  Great fun.