Big Gay Ice Cream Shop, New York

This just made us chuckle.  Probably not too busy this time of year for these stores as its so cold, but we love the concept.

Any Old Iron, New York

Well, we've survived the Christmas splurge and thank goodness its all over at least for another year.  We've decided to concentrate now on the lower east side which is definitely the coolest part of Manhattan.  Gorgeous bars, cafes and stores are in abundance here.  This store, Any Old Iron definitely has the coolest window in the street.  A whole variety of ephemera in a repetition format, hung on a wire framed background and sprayed in a White finish looks so incredibly cool that it hurts. Now lets change that awful bust form in the window though?

Merry Christmas, New York

Well that's Christmas all done then.  We hope you are having a fantastic one.  Few things are worse than seeing Christmas schemes after Christmas so we're off to the lower east side to the cool part of the city.  We haven't had the opportunity to include every Christmas scheme in New York and London but hopefully you have had a flavour of what is happening both sides of the Atlantic.  As you dig into your turkey, nut roast or just liquor enjoying all the festivities that this nauseous time of year has to offer think of us flaneur-ing the streets to bring you the latest and greatest in retail store windows.  If you are reading this, then switch off your computer and go and enjoy yourself.  We are....!!  Have a great one and thank you to all those of you who follow the site or simply check us out.  We're off to a warmer climate shortly also so do check out what we are up to during our adventures in Marrakesh and our 10 Commandments for 2013. 

Club Monaco, New York

Blimey...!  How much bling?  We've seen this Gold trend happening all year long so hopefully this is the end of it.  Painted White and this would have looked more Margiela so the use of multiple objects sprayed one tone is not new, although we do like it but would have liked a lot more of it.

ABC, New York

One of our absolute favourite stores has to be ABC along Broadway.  This magnificent store over several floors is just stunning and we always make a beeline for it on every visit just to have a look.  It is very pricey but it does stock the most extraordinary stuff that we drool every time we come here.  The vintage feel and the shabby interior space with the most delicious merchandise is heaven.

Saks, New York

This part of 5th Avenue is always so incredibly jammed with tourists viewing this spectacle.  Saks with their usual style have projected this amazing spectacle onto the front elevation of this iconic store.  The visual and the sounds against the noise of the traffic and crowds is quite amazing to be a part of and makes us tingle just being here.

Bonpoint, New York

We passed this scheme recently at Bonpoint on Madison and literally stopped in our tracks.  Picture the scene......we're out late at night, virtually no traffic, absolutely no-one else around and we come across this creepy looking scheme.  A metal framed bed in a woodland scenario, pink kiddie dress (and a floaty one at that) on a hanger and placed on a bed, just slightly tilted as if the previous occupant had been dissolved away and this scary masked creature in Black stooped over it.  This is the stuff of nightmares.  It haunts us.  Sleep well.

Fendi, New York

We weren't quite sure whether we liked this scheme at Fendi along 5th avenue that we spotted recently (not that that actually matters) however once we had taken a closer look (so the scheme worked in that way..!) the detail here is actually very interesting.  What looks like horrible gold boxes from a distance are actually what appears to be melted letter form in this repetition format.  The stands holding the accessories are also melted Fendi 'F's and really does look very glossy and very interesting when one stands very close to them.  We're not fans of 'bling' but this does actually work really well.

Anthropologie, New York

A visit to New York would never be complete without swinging by at least one of the Anthropologie stores and we've been to them all...!  We adore what this brand do, the creativity the products, the whole philosophy of the brand.  Anyway, here at the Rockefeller centre, we had to wait ages and ages to get even these quick shots as the crowds here are rammed trying to look at a Christmas tree.  Whys that we hear you ask?  Well we have no idea, its just a tree, but the locals and not so local love it.  Well, we wish they would move out of way then while we try and take these images for you, its madness around here. 

Helmut Lang, New York

We've been to visit two of these stores here in New York (there may be more?) and we quite like this  feeling of curator ship rather than 'shop', retail / commercial space.  With these interesting engines suspended within the window space, fashion, although of course an art in itself, appears to be ever more connected....well literally at least.  Very interesting and simple presentation.

DIM at El Cortes Ingles, Madrid

We always love to view whats happening around the world and we have been fortunate to be sent images and a video of one of the schemes at El Cortes Ingles in Madrid by the clearly talented Xavi Selles (unfortunately blogger doesn't allows put accents on names of things, places and people, but you get the gist).  Anyway, this is one hell of a creative way to show hosiery, which is always notoriously difficult to do and certainly grabbed the passersby.  Great fun, eh?  In the meantime, do check our Xavi's website http://www.xaviselles.com/   Who knew Spain was looking so good, eh?

 

 

Reed Krakoff, New York

We had never heard of this brand either before ("well where have you been shopping guys, K-Mart?", we hear you shouting at your screens) But, anyway this glowing (literally) scheme drew us in to make a closer inspection.  Reed Krakoff himself, it transpires is also apparently a photographer and a bit of a mover and shaker in the 'fash' biz so we're a little embarrassed not to have heard of him.  We will get over it of course.  Anyway, OK well we have seen chairs being used in windows for as long as we can remember, but this scheme does have an edge to it and we really rather like it.  What do you think? 

Aaron Basha, New York

We'd never heard of Aaron Basha before, nor ever noticed this store here in New York.  But, how cool is this store? We were pulled from the other side of the street to take a closer look at this illuminated angel? (we guess?)  Jewellery stores are not always the most innovative, but wow, the colours and simplicity of this store combined with fabulous design is a definite winner.