Juicy Couture, London

I do really like this brand, if only for the sense of fun in their schemes. Fake grass forms the main concept here with out sized cut out spectacles and and a mannequin positioned if pouring water over her rival. For a company so incredibly large, it is refreshing to see that creative schemes can work and are supported in working creatively across multiple stores. This is actually a very simple scheme so proof too that you don't need lavish budgets to present something with impact - although of course that very much helps too.

Gucci, London

Gucci, here in London have recently installed their latest scheme. Large format Black and White graphics, which I am guessing are images of their original stores. These are back lit and form the context for their product. Metallic headless figures present the product and accessories are in a pyramidal / stepped dynamic. Interestingly these photographic images forming the backdrop appear as if the old stores are a reflection in the fenestration itself. As we have seen the use of graphics for eons in store windows it would perhaps have been rather more interesting to have used them in a more exciting and clever way? What I mean by that is, that OK, we have an image of an old Gucci store, which of course looks great, but that's it. This, at least for me makes the whole scheme a little bland and uninteresting. Of course the creative teams are experts in installing these schemes here, but I cant help feeling that I want just a little bit more than the obvious that has been presented. What do you think?

Mulberry, London

I'm still unsure how I feel about this brands visual stuff. I want to have a love affair with it but like so many encounters I think we will just nod from across the street. Faux bales of hay fill this scheme in Summer pastel shades with references to the Glastonbury festival. Am not quite sure what this is promoting in your country as this is only really relevant here in the UK? As always, I love the figures, with their aticulated arms and legs and possibly other bits..........but the wigs are just not right. I have chatted about these wigs to several industry colleagues and they all agree that the current style is just not right. In the meantime, as it is still showtime, I am writing this on the go and on to the next show venue.......so will leave you to decide what you think about this scheme........................?

Stella McCartney, London

It's show time right here in London, I'm rushed off my feet, so I am finding it difficult to find the time to write to you all. However, in my rush to send you the latest from images from London I am posting Stella McCartney's latest offering. I do actually like this scheme although there is little to say about it apart from the fact that we have the name 'Stella' in lights...........pioneering stuff hey?

Diesel, London

I quite like this brand, and I do normally like this particular store here along Bond St. in London. The reason for this is that they have produced some really pioneering schemes over the previous months and at least seemed to be leading the way, to a point, along with Anthropologie and a few others in localising creativity and getting off the dreaded 'corporate bus.' Of course, so many brands have their 'gap filler' concepts (what I mean by that is, these are the cheap schemes in between the expensive ones in order to maximise the budget) and while this is the norm, (this is not to say that it should be of course) it is a shame that while these companies are peddling their over priced stuff, someone somewhere is reaping the benefits and therefore not spending the cash on enticing us into the stores. Diesel have created a 'web' like concept of cord, strung around the fenestration complete with industrial finished figures wearing their product. OK, well not pioneering stuff and the cost was almost certainly kept to a minimum here. While it does work quite well and if this were an independent retailer it would be entirely forgivable, but a brand like this with the cost of their product.....I do feel a little disappointed...............don't you?

Ralph Lauren, London

Having followed Ralph Lauren here in London and their schemes in New York and Dubai for quite some time, I must admit that I do find it difficult to be completely positive about their schemes. Yes, I like them, but I really want to love them. Of course, the dressing and styling is always so superbly handled and that goes without question. RL's relatively new store in Paris looks incredible and clearly leading the way in this brand. However, without wishing to be derogatory, I wish the schemes had a little more 'edge'. OK, well, I am sure there is a whole chain of command and span of control going on within the company and of course these things are easier to write here than being able to do in reality. Perhaps the answer is to give 'control' to the creative's who produce these schemes? It is clear that the team are creative, although maybe are not given enough freedom to enable them to give the desirability to this brand that it perhaps should have, or perhaps that, at least, I would want it to have as a potential customer? Ultimately, the answer is to give back some localised creativity to these creative teams.

Asprey, London

I only seem to write about these windows intermittently for some reason. Not that this brand don't do quality schemes, because they always do, but I guess there is so much happening around town that they keep falling off the page and into my archives. Anyway, Asprey, are currently using this 'sea' themed scheme with drift wood, boardwalks and the usual seaside ephemera. I was quite intrigued by their use of these plasma screens with their videoed underwater moving scene, the type of which is always so mesmerising to view. These have been surrounded with strategically interwoven drift wood (naturally to hide the edges of the screen) and well placed merchandise as part of the overall composition. I like the fact that these screens together with the merchandise look as if they have been so naturally washed up on a beach somewhere rather than everything squared up and bolt upright. Although this is not my own personal favourite scheme of theirs, it has been done so beautifully. I am trying to fall in love with it (because the quality is there) but at the moment, I just like it.

Prada, London

While wandering along Bond st. the other evening I noticed that Prada had not only changed their window scheme but also reverted back to open backed spaces. This is an interesting move as for many months we have seen these spaces quite concentrated and enclosed which really helped to hone in on the detail of the product although of course limited (to a point) what one could do with the space. I like either way myself but what it does highlight is how few retailers do this? Whether it was deliberate or not, who knows. The out sized umbrellas look incredible next to the two female figures and again its this kind of land of the giants type stuff that we see happening occasionally around town. I also like the tall structures in some of the smaller windows which always remind me of a cityscape, particularly like New York or parts of Chicago. What one views is a row of enormous buildings and then suddenly one finds, say for example a church / Cathedral dwarfed by the surrounding megastructures. The church / Cathedral therefore in effect become an anomaly in the rhythm of the city. Although the creative team may not have thought this when producing this scheme, what they have actually done is to use the product as the anomaly. Great impact and yet so simple.

Jack Wills, London

I am quite intrigued by Jack Wills here along the Kings Road. I have seen it mentioned in on a few sites and naturally had to take a look for myself. I must admit that I am a little confused by this brand which on the one hand is a very English / British brand and yet flying the American flag? Not that I am offended in the slightest by this as 'American' is fine by me although this all rather jarrs here. On the one hand we have Jack Wills University Outfitters (based in Devon of all places ). While Devon, of course is beautiful, its not the hippest place to admit one is from, and then on the other hand we have references to 'Varsity Polo' - in the words of Dizzee Rascal ...."Bonkers". As I also work in a University, this makes absolutely no sense whatsoever? What are you doing guys? Either be British or be faux American......the market is far too small for this kind of hedging your bets. Yep, target Universities, great, am sure my students will love you and be top to toe or more likely in key pieces of your stuff. But they are very, very savvy so you have to get this right and either be cool or be desirable and aspirational. You have a cool brand, but it is so confusing......or is that just to me?

Hermes, London

Hermes along Bond St., here in London, have recently installed their latest scheme. Photographic tripods effortlessly create the pyramidal dynamic familiar to display techniques, and placed in front of a graphic with what appears to be historical Hermes product storyboards and images in a repetition format. Within this scheme, I particularly loved the cups and saucers strategically balanced to create an arch form. OK, well if you look closely, they are glued, nonetheless they provide a great focal point in this window scheme which is also great fun. This brand do produce some very interesting and quality schemes, particularly for such relatively small spaces. I only wish we had a bigger store here in London (like Tokyo) where the team here could create much bigger and grander schemes synonymous with some of their larger sites.

Anthropologie, London

I like to see new uses of old sites and this is no exception. The Anthropologie store along the Kings Road is fairly new to London and is in addition to its Regent st. site in one of London's main shopping areas. I cant actually remember what this store was previously or what this site was used for but the dark Green tiles inset with what appears to be a Victorian design (and probably is actually original to the building and actually Victorian) and its stained glass windows are absolutely exquisite. These have remained some of my favourite stores for some time now as the creative team seem to be let loose to create these amazing displays. The windows instantly reminded me of the gardens of Bomarzo, Monster Park a few miles from Rome, Italy, that I wrote about here a few months ago. Various structures, bust forms, chairs and so on seem to be consumed by this mossy covering. Great fun and seasonal, this brand are always such a pleasure to view.

Liberty, London

Wow, is it really 135 years since Liberty opened? Where did that time go, hey? Older than some countries around the world, Liberty can be held up as an excellent example of retailing. Always, at the forefront, always fun, and yet always such wonderful quality (if a little expensive however). Celebrating their 135th Year, of course could not be missed without a fun scheme installed into their windows by the creative team. Small, 'doll-like' houses with tiny cut out figures are presented to us in this scheme. Speech bubbles exclaiming "has anyone seen my shoes?", "Who puked in the flowerbed? and "the B****** dumped me!" have been applied to the glass and tonnes of paper chains and shiny silver curtains complete the scheme. Where on earth will this creative team go next? Who knows, but just watch this space.

Louis Vuitton, London

I cant help but love this mecca to retail. The new Louis Vuitton along Bond st. (which seems like we have waited eons to open) is brash, blingy, sparkly and right there in your face. With hand painted mannequins and figures with the signature brand logo who could not love it? It is showy, it is very much excess to requirements, but it is a strange pleasure to view. The building itself is almost bright White in the usual dull London weather and the use of Gold would make the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul and the souks of Sharjah pale by comparison. A life sized Giraffe, neon lighting, shoes doing-the-walking and beautiful merchandise in bell jars. The list just goes on and on.....if you happen to be in London this is definitely a must see. My favourite bit? The reflection in their old tiny store opposite, declaring...."it's behind you......" I love the so utterly British reference here.