Puma, London

The guys at Puma, London, have huge pendulous balls.

If you happen to be on Carnaby street soon do go and have a look at the Puma store.  These guys are rocking London right now.  Incidentally, we're not fans of people in our images as we like to concentrate on the presentation of store windows rather than the corn dolly weaves, very big hair, mullets and him and her fashions with matching kiddies that so many tourists seem to adopt.  It also took a while loitering and watching the loiterers to give you an image without the mass of tourists - this was a 5 second window without a mass of tourists who seem to insist on following us while watching the watchers in case they are missing something or as if we are the entertainment?  Quite bizarre.  Anyway......Puma look great.  With their huge balls displayed on the fascia and suspended within the windows (billiard balls.... of course) and their Styrofoam chalks which form plinths on which to display the product, this is a fun scheme worthy of mentioning and wonderfully produced.  If you happen to be here, you must take a look.

London Executive, London

Estate Agents really are the dullest places, aren't they?  Often even just looking past the multitude of images in a repetition format into what are essentially office spaces with (usually) men in chalk stripe suits and 'hilarious' ties sat behind desks, invariably on the telephone.  Reflected in the fenestration you can often find us falling fast asleep having just looking at them.  Anyway, here at London Executive (York Street, in the Marylebone Area of London), we love the light boxes which when used creatively, rather than simply to highlight a graphic, can work so well.  One only has to view the best bars in Paris and New York to evidence this.  Anyway, while on our journey flaneur-ing the streets of London we happened across London Executive with their Monopoly-like houses placed on light boxes.  What a great idea, hey?  OK, well they are cardboard printed boxes with the details of the various properties to rent or buy at eye-watering prices, but what a breath of fresh air.  We're so glad that at least one estate agent is making an effort.  We just have to work on Banks, Post Offices and those those Chalk stripe suits.   

Lanvin, London

Thankfully Lanvin has taken out those dreadful cut out animals from this scheme which you may remember we commented on recently.  However, nothing more has been added which makes this scheme look rather odd.  Fortunately these guys have such great window spaces and considering the brand, there are so many missed opportunities here.  We do wish that we were excited about the work these guys do but sadly, so little effort is put into these schemes, and considering the cost of the product, this is a massive disappointment.  Still, we're sure they have a following and a die hard customer base who will continue to spend the Dollars, Yen and Euro.  We just wish that they would try a little harder so that we could be excited about what they do.  In the meantime......sigh

Daks, London

Looter Chic?  Daks,  before or after the riots and looting?  Thankfully, here in lock-down London all seems quiet on the West End front and mercifully the looters and rioters have not attacked the CCTV'd area of Bond St - strange that, hey?  All of the sports, cell phone stores and oddly, discount stores have been hit, but luxury brands still seem the domain of dreaded yet sophisticated (at least in the operation) ram-raiders who perpetually harm our industry.  Here at Daks, it appears that the brand is empathising with the very badly (and incredibly sadly) hit independents by emulating the resulting effect?  Fashion future or just not getting it right? 

Oh...we know we can be flippant.....but we know that you know what we mean.

Ozwald Boateng, London

We've been watching this brand for some time now although never included them on this site.  At Ozwald Boateng, we have viewed some of their schemes which we have always felt that we had seen before.  However, their latest scheme is quite a gem.  Don't you think?

Myla, London

Oh Myla, what are you doing?

Narciss Fashion, London

We came across this scheme at Narciss Fashion in Notting Hill today which brought a welcome smile to our faces during the current London violence and despicable behaviour of the moronic, bored, listless and disengaged who contribute nothing to society and yet expect everything from it.  We are actually quite tired of even having to mention them so will resist getting up on the podium.   Sadly even some of the stores in this area miles away from the main troubled areas had windows smashed and cobweb-like fenestration looked like installations that should have been at the Tate Modern, albeit quite unintentionally.  Sadly, for this scheme, while clearly meant in jest, it has almost become something which is imitating, and / or reflecting real life as it is right now.  We can still see the funny side of this installation, although now it seems more like a child's therapy output to explain the pain and anger that cant be articulated without the necessary developed vocabulary.  This is such a shame when the guys here have obviously meant this to be fun.  However, it still is, and we have to read this in the light that it was originally produced in. We hope that these guys will continue to entertain us regardless. 

On the streets, London

No food or drinks allowed in this shop EVER.  That means you and NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, bring food and drinks into this shop.  They are talking to you.  Not quite on the streets, but we just couldn't resist including this signage and its most welcoming printed notice.  Great, eh?  No surprise that this place was empty.  And God forbid you take your umbrella in with you and don't leave it in the basket by the door.  You have been warned.

Etro, London

We recently saw the opening of the new Etro store here in London (although we weren't actually invited to the opening ourselves).  At first glance, this looks like a really interesting scheme and thankfully the creative team have a lot more space to work with compared to their previous store windows.  Anyway, if you've ever visited any of the wax museums around the globe (and we always seek them out, Fisherman's Wharf SF, Musee Grevin Paris and so on) doesn't this feel like one of those tableaux where one would expect to see the likes of Jackie 'O' with bushy eye brows next to a glassy-eyed Oprah, at least three Popes. while chucking in a grimacing Julia Roberts for good measure, all un-strategically placed in an unlikely drawing room somewhere that never existed?  Throw in the odd faux mirror and fireplace, and we are all part of the scene ourselves. Perhaps a painted view of the Kremlin viewed beyond the net curtained back windows would help this hang together in a less bizarre narrative?  While you have those thoughts in your mind..... wiring mannequins in these kinds of brands is a must, however we're not actually sure if the flooring could take it?  Still, that's Design by committee for you. 

Louis Vuitton, London

Did you know that the first hot air balloon or balloon aircraft was launched in Paris in 1783?  No, well did you maybe know that the worlds largest supplier of hot air balloons is based in Bristol in the UK?  Bizarre stuff.  Anyway, here at Maison L.V. along Bond St. the latest scheme is wowing the wandering crowds on this street.  Tourists are having their pictures taken outside and enjoying the spectacle (we never quite understood why they do this ourselves?) but anyway, technically, we have a whole combination of layers and dynamics in this scheme.  From repetition of radiating forms in a gravity format, and in conjunction with a narrative, and (we think) a typical fashion led scheme (as in product based to inform the narrative) although looking at the AW11, having given the L.V. site a cursory glance, it seems to have quite a  different focus?  Still....'A single journey can change the course of a life' and maybe this is where the link is?  Ultimately of course, the finish and execution of the latest scheme is absolutely superb and the attention to detail, exceptional which simply keeps this brands' schemes at the top of our list. 

http://www.retailstorewindows.com/

Miu Miu, London

Since this new store opened over several months ago its has been quite difficult for us to make any positive comments about it.  With its huge mirrored Swans and subsequent Palm trees, it was clear that this brand know their target market, and what was also clear is that it wasn't us.  Anyway, we do actually like this scheme as it reminds us of that Kirsty MacColl song from her Tropical Brainstorm album........

I once met a man with a sense of adventure
He was dressed to thrill wherever he went
He said let’s make love on a mountain top
Under the stars on a big hard rock
I said in these shoes?
I don’t think so
I said honey, let’s do it here.

Need we say more?

Links, London

Just behind Peter Jones on Sloane square is one of the branches of Links.  We rarely look at this brand for some reason although this scheme caught our eye along the high street and beckoned us to take a closer look. These guys seem to quietly work away unnoticed a lot of the time, but clearly chipping away within their own commercial market segment. Anyway, with their delicious jewel-like formula concept, Chemistry of Friendship (formula as in Chemistry-type formula rather than the scheme being formulaic) we really thought this is an interesting and creative way to show notoriously difficult product.  While they have quite large spaces in which to showcase accessories which of course can so easily be lost, Links have placed the scheme within these glass boxes which immediately hones the eye in on the detail while allowing the viewer views into and around the store from the high street.  Clever stuff, eh?

Puma, London

The scheme along Carnaby street at Puma wasn't quite complete when we captured these earlier this week, BUT....WTF, hey?