Sale: Pringle, London

Is it still Sale time? Well, sadly yes. London seems to be getting colder by the hour and the dreaded Sale period is still not over yet. Miles and miles or Red banners pollute the shopping journey this time of year which really is so uninspiring. However, I was very pleasantly surprised to happen upon Pringle, Bond St. here in London. Pringle are one of the few brands that do Sale incredibly well. (If you have a look back to their Summer Sale scheme on this blog you will see what I mean) What a wonderful pleasure to see this brand make so much effort during this period of the retail calender. Strings of beads and Black vinyl with product placed against a monochromatic background. This gives the illusion here of much greater space - the windows are actually very narrow, however the team here do handle product incredibly well and the scheme works brilliantly. Thank you Pringle for giving us this gem and spectacle during such an uneventful time of year.

Sale: Mulberry, London

I must confess that I wasn't too enthusiastic with the Christmas scheme at Mulberry recently here in London with its out sized Red Apples and which I also recorded in NYC - but thats globalisation for you. However, we have seen these tree stumps change from Black to Red (Pink and Orange) for their Sale scheme and these I feel do work rather well. Previously we saw them painted Black and used with large beetles crawling all over them in conjunction with figures with quite 'mad' hair. However, I am pleased to see that Mulberry hasn't wasted its precious scheme budgets on the blandest period of the year and have utilised an existing scheme which is perfectly fine as we wade our way through this global recession. Anyway, watch this space and see what happens next.

Sale: Jaegar, London

It is so cold here at the moment in London and the snow and ice doesn't help matters. However, I was crossing over Regent st. from Conduit st. here in London while meandering through the West End in order to keep on top of all of the wonderful concepts and ideas that are being explored in the city and came across Jaegar. Of course we can see multiple schemes around the globe that use vinyl on the glass, and Jaegar seem to be using this a lot in the past few schemes, although, to me, this gives this concept an almost 1950's television set feel to their Sale concept.
OK, well it does look a little messy, if I am honest, but it is Sale time and the 'market stall' look seems to be de riguer here in town. Anyway, again we can see the land-of-the-giants sized lettering, as used in Fenwicks too along Bond St., only these are glittery too. Jaegar, usually produce very high quality schemes, although not necessarily particularly creative, but what they do, they do well. Anyway, role on post-sale.

Sale: Diesal, London

Diesal is one of my favourite visual brands right now and the stuff they do is always so exciting. I love their Design philosophy and how much they seem to experiment at a localised level. I would normally be disappointed that they used the same Sale concept as last Summer which you can find in this blog, however, the rest of the time their work is so good, that this is completely forgivable. Well, we are in a global recession and I guess it is a case of 'needs must' and it still is a good Sale scheme. In the meantime, I am looking forward to their new concept launch for 2010 in a few weeks' time.

Sale: Fenwick, London

If there is one store I would love to get my hands on, it would definitely be this one. I cant quite work this brand out. We have the incredible Harvey Nichols. Selfridges, Harrods and Liberty here in London and I can almost guarantee that if you asked anyone to name the department stores in London those four would be the ones (maybe House of Fraser and John Lewis too). Yet Fenwick is a department store in the centre of the Universe along Bond St. and yet seems to be a very sleepy giant and surviving. Bizarre. I have only been inside here a handful of times, I suppose, like so many places it just doesn't occur to me to shop here. That's a shame as I do feel in its superbly prime position it could be the main draw in town, although maybe it just doesn't want to be? But I feel this is one of London's biggest missed opportunities, and the wonderful things that could be done here are limitless. Anyway, one thing I always enjoy are land-of-the-giants sized props wherever they are used. Here Fenwick have used out sized lettering spelling out Sale with their random collection of Rootstein figures.

Sale: COS, London

I strangely never think to look at COS here on Regent st. I think probably as they seem to sink into the background a little without anything particularly visual, therefore I never seem to be drawn to them. However, these Sale structures that they have placed in the window caught my eye and I thought I should record them as we so rarely are shown the structure from which these things are built - of course this is deliberate. If you are not familiar with COS they are the mid-market sister brand of H&M and tend to produce a rather sophisticated collection of clothing aimed at a more discerning consumer. I have seen their store at Westfield (the newish large shopping mall in West London) and I was actually, I must say, rather impressed. Although, I never seem to plan a purchase around this brand personally, I can see the attraction. However, I do like my shopping journeys to be a little more visual and this brand, for me, is just a little too bland for my preference. Of course the stores are great, the product is great but the environment just doesn't sing to me. There just seems to be lacking any personality, not in a celebrity endorsement sense - God forbid - but just in who it is. Am I wrong?

Sale: Harvey Nichols, London

Go and see Harvey Nichols the ever Uber fashionable department store, as I wouldn't have expected any thing less this Sale time from this company. This simple scheme in large format vinyl does exactly what its supposed to do and shouts out that the Sale is on. Contained within the vinyl lettering are small reveals, which just give us snippets of whats on offer. The is a great tease strategy and the passerby cant resist but be drawn to these tiny areas of interest. Of course, things which are revealed are always far more exciting that if they are simply presented to us and this is why this concept works so well. No doubt the team are beavering away working on the first major installment of 2010 which is something I always look forward to viewing as I flaneur the walkways of London.

Sale: Anthropologie, London

No time flaneuring the city would be complete without checking out Anthropologie. I have noticed that a lot of retailers this year are utilising their Christmas schemes for Sale. I'm really pleased to see this. Sale, although, I suppose a necessary part of the calender to shift all that excess stuff that didn't sell, it is rather a dull time of year visually and therefore why bother trying to develop a magnificent and complex scheme which soaks up the annual budget when we can enjoy so much more the rest of the time. Anyway, Anthropologie have reused their great Christmas scheme which I loved anyway (apart from the silver birch trees which could be seen in just about every other scheme around town) but the props are always magnificent and great fun. I am dying to see what they do when all returns to normal in a few weeks.

Sale: Esprit, London

After an horrendously long flight from NYC across the pond back to the UK, I definitely needed to get out to stretch my now jelly legs and breathe in the London pollution. While slipping and sliding my way around the icy city and having travelled from one cold climate to another I now feel at home again. Anyway, my first destination on my regular flaneuring of the city had to be Regent st. as new stores are opening, its late at night and therefore quiet, all of the multiples are in Sale and I could get a quick visual fix. Esprit brought a smile to my face and tired eyes displaying Zentai-like suits in their windows. These are great fun and I couldn't help wondering what a wonderful brand this would be if they actually sold these, even just as a promotion. Male and Female mannequins have been dressed in these 'lycra' suits in their windows in a repetition layout in front of a large format graphic in the obligatory Sale 'Red' telling us its Sale time in multiple languages. Incredible fun, simply presented and telling the message. Great. In the mean time, the 'courteous' guy at immigration who confiscated my fabulous MarieBelle cocoa drinking Chocolate from my favourite Chocolatier in NYC because I didn't pack it in my luggage as the tins explode cocoa powder all over my clothes - I know where you live.

American Apparel, New York

This my last day here in the city that doesn't sleep - and it really doesn't. Anyway, I will soon be on my flight back to 'Blighty' and apparently snow and a freezing cold apartment. Having written blogs here for nearly a month it is time to reflect on my journey (much of it I will keep to myself you may be glad to hear?) While running to the airport - yes I am sending this out with only a few moments to leave for the long haul journey. Anyway, my cab to the airport screamed to a halt when I shouted to the driver to stop so that I could photograph the above for you all. I thought the colours and use of repetition in a spatial cell type presentation works incredibly well here at American Apparel on 181 8th Avenue. I must admit I am not a huge fan of this brand, in fact I buy nothing from them, however I must tell you that I do admire this initiative. According to their website this is what this scheme is all about......

In the fall of 2008, Proposition 8 passed in California, striking down the legalization of same-sex marriage. Since that time, several states across the country have voted to legalize same-sex marriage, or recognize those performed in other states. With many of our employees and customers identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered, we are a company that is vocal about our support for the protection and advancement of gay rights, and we hope that the rest of our fifty states take the necessary steps toward equal rights for all, and legalize same-sex marriage.

I never cut and paste from websites or use anyone else's visuals / images but I do think the above statement was too important not to include and for me not to stand up and say yes I support this initiative by American Apparel. I think you will agree a worthy cause and I take my hat off to this brand for doing this. Check out http://legalizegay.com/

I will be launching the latest 'Sale' windows tomorrow from London so in the mean time, swing by American Apparel and show your support and get a great pair of colourful underwear too...! (I did, but you will just have to guess which colour..!)

Babette Pinsky, New York

While flaneuring around Greene street earlier, I came across Babette. Now, as with a lot of these small brands I am not wholly familiar with her stuff. However, what actually made me stop here is the use of these incredible figures that look like something from the future that the popular media would have us believe will possibly look like. After doing some quick research, it transpires that Babette Pinsky, the main designer here is influenced by mid 20th Century modernist architecture, Industrial and Graphic Design and her use of pleated materials is legendary. I am always nervous when I see these types of figures used as they don't always work particularly well and don't suit every type of Fashion product, however here they really are superb and have been handled brilliantly. I don't come across these figures very often and absolutely had to record it and show them to you. However, if you are in SoHo, pop along to 137 Greene St. and take a look yourself.

Camper, New York

When I first saw this store at the start of the millennium I remember being quite in awe of its innovation. I believe they are a Spanish brand with a very long history of shoe making begun originally by Antonio Fluxa. The layout here has always reminded me of a combination of catwalk and large ovens, I think probably because of the Red used on the inside of those enormous lights. Camper encourage us to 'Reinvent our Reality' which is perhaps a little ironic as the store has remained the same for nearly 10 years and perhaps a little past it sell by date in terms of Retail Years. However, the product remains fantastic and the quality is superb and if you do like this kind of thing then maybe drop by 125 Prince St. in SoHo and take a look.

Catherine Malandrino, New York

I have been following this brand from a distance for the past 10 years after I originally came across the Catherine Malandrino (Herrine) store in SoHo here in New York. I think it was the light wall that initially attracted me and I always made a point to return each year to the same place to see if they did anything different and get my annual fix. Interestingly the brand has really grown and new stores are popping up around the world (and concessions) including this one in the Meatpacking district on Hudson. While checking out Catherine's website, which really is such a gem of a find she clearly has a strong philosophy, integrity and direction, drawing on all types of resources for inspiration from Music, Art, film and so on which is such a pleasure to read as often these types of designers are usually so secretive that one would have to squeeze out the tiniest snippet of information about how they work and what interests them and usually one finds very little. Catherine is clearly cultured and now I am able to see the level of depth to her thinking which I find so fascinating. Do go along to the store in the Meatpacking district (even if if you don't like women's fashion) just to see how incredible it looks.