On the Streets, London

Strange, eh?

Tiffany, London

This is such an interesting scheme at Tiffany right now, don't you think? 

We also came across a very interesting site recently called anthroposts.com Anthroposts is a site dedicated to notes, well actually Post-it notes to be be precise that were left abandoned, thrown away, or just discarded when they had served their use and then collected by the author who placed them on the site.  As the site says, "The notes comment on contemporary life". "They speak to a heightened pace, which leaves many feeling so pressed for time that we turn to lists and notes to help us make the most of it, to be efficient and organized." [And] "When collected from the street they speak to the ease with which we pollute, one of the many (arguable) consequences of consumerism."  The majority of the post-it's are of course as one would expect local to the author and therefore have a US bias.  However, it is fascinating to read some of the messages that we write to ourselves.  A lot of the notes simply contain seemingly random numbers, some shopping lists and addresses.  The site makes sense of these as "urban artefact's, that hold something interesting for those willing to look".  "Not only do they document a moment in a stranger but they hold something of the stranger them self: the way they write, how they capture ideas".  Really fascinating stuff.  The site also begins to make connections between Colour, Complexity and commonly used words.  Although the scheme currently at Tiffany may not have possibly been developed from this perspective, it is really interesting to read the private notes of others even when it just doesn't feel right and we know that we shouldn't (although can).  Reading the notes in these windows does emotionally feel is as if we are prying into the private lives of unknown others out there, although as the curious animals that we are, we are compelled to look and read them nonetheless.  As these notes at Tiffany are placed within this context, it is, perhaps, as if we are granted permission to read them even if we feel we shouldn't, but perhaps we simply glance and acknowledge them while making a connection with them? After all, we've all written something similar to these, haven't we?  There is an interesting response with in us that while we felt it was not OK to read these notes, we do, and then somehow are drawn into the personal lives of albeit fictitious 'others'.  Of course, perhaps what is happening is that we feel a closer bond to the brand itself for letting us in on something so apparently private?  Clever stuff.

Melcom, Ghana

Image Courtesy and Copyright Raj Nakar

Did anyone know that Ghana has a department store and visual merchandisers too?  This is such interesting news to us, and quite unexpected, actually somehow bizarre.  We had always understood that this area of the world was still developing, however it transpires that Melcom is actually quite a large company selling around 15,000 products.  Apparently Africa will be the next consumer society and therefore wise to keep an eye on whats happening here.  Under the creative eye of Raj Nakar who kindly sent us these images, who also has an incredibly visual blog http://rajeshnakar.blogspot.com which we think you should check out.  Raj has clearly been working hard to put Ghana on the visual map and we have to support these kind of guys working in isolation and forging ahead in Visual Merchandising simply because they love what they do. 

Image Courtesy and Copyright Raj Nakar

Guess, London

We have been quite moved by the headline from the BBC here in London that "Two women have admitted leaving the corpse of a dead grandmother unburied at their home for up to six months while one of them kept her benefits".  "The body of Olive Maddock, 95, was left in a bedroom at the house in Wirral by daughter Olive Hazel Maddock, known as Hazel, and granddaughter Jasmine, 35...... Mrs Maddock's remains were found at the home she then shared with her daughter and granddaughter on Saltburn Road in Wallasey, Wirral".   To us, and we are sure the majority of you reading this, to ever even momentarily consider doing something like this is beyond being despicable and certainly just incomprehensible?  How desperate could these women have been to do this to a 95 year old woman and what kind of monstrous people could they possibly be?  Certainly detached, definitely uncaring and as reported in the UK 'popular' press..."scroungers".  If you are translating this, as we know a lot of you do, the dictionary definition of scrounger is   "To seek to obtain something by begging or borrowing with no intention of reparation". 

These seriously documented situations keep us awake at night time.

Can you ever imagine being faced with this kind of situation other than in a press report?  We do often try to make links between the everyday/zeitgeist and what is happening in presentation on the high street as this kind of information is so difficult to find, as are the connections, therefore we do feel that if we don't write it, who will? That said in a strange twisted course of fate we are also haunted by, without intent to lighten the situation, the scheme here at 'Guess' along Regent St.  We did mention the use of these large crates a while ago when they were used at French Connection (and various other retailers) and how coffin-like they are.  Death is a taboo subject in window display, as are religious and political connotations and links.  If you are going to do it, then be prepared to stand up and defend it.  We mentioned a similar-type scheme at G-Star Raw last week and their hanging corpse-like bust forms.  Just don't do it.  Or, at least do it and have a bloody good reason for it because everyone will jump on it and want to know why?  And it will, no doubt backfire on you.  'Guess' can attempt to be subtle, but this scheme screams Boxing Helena (1993) to us and therefore just down right creepy.  Think these things through guys.  We know you read this site so just check back and see the French Connection article we wrote months ago.  This scheme may be right from your office thousands of miles away from London but its just not right for London.  Either get it right from your offices far away or localise your creativity that can react to whats happening in each city or at least country.   We just cant understand why you always get it so wrong?  (actually we do)

DnA Factory, London

Image courtesy and Copyright theDnAfactory

Here at www.retailstorewindows.com we're excited to announce the launch of the first in a series of collaborations between The New English and theDnAfactory with 'These Treasures Held Near', Princess Tea Cup and Saucer.  Hand finished in the finest bone china with 22 carat Gold handle and rims. Each are numbered and sold in a special presentation box set and with just an edition of 100 available to purchase direct from The New English for the sum of £150.00 inclusive of VAT  (P and P not included) you must get yours now.   To order  yours contact Paul@thenewenglish.co.uk or telephone : +44 (0) 1782 373469.  Credit cards are accepted with Ref : theDnAfactory / Princess 1

"Made with love in England".  "The New English combine a 250 year legacy of traditional Ceramic manufacturing techniques,  with the finest materials and the brightest of contemporary design talent,  standing out in a world dominated by sameness,  proudly defending the idea that quality is not the exclusive preserve of the conservative"  For more information about The New English do have a look at their site at  www.thenewenglish.co.uk

For more information about our gorgeous friends at theDnAfactory and this limited edition product just get in contact with Dallas or Angel at : info@thednafactory.com

Quicksilver, London

We were quite wowed by the latest scheme at Quicksilver.  We never look at this brand ordinarily as they don't do very much visually, so we were quite pleasantly surprised to view this latest installation at their Regent St. store.  It is following the trend that we have seen at a lot of retailers this year with this suspended merchandise, market-look.  Although, with their illuminated large format graphic and hard hitting yet poignant slogan "Don't destroy what you came to enjoy" this scheme is really quite interesting.  OK, well we wouldn't have used mannequins in a Black finish and the merchandise and the mannequin itself are not illuminated so they are rather lost in the scheme, although surely this is the point of putting it there in the first place?  Anyway, it is interesting to see this brand be rather more creative than usual so we'll keep an eye on them from a distance.

For all Mankind, London

We're not sure who produced the schemes here but this one is a corker.  For such a difficult space (open backed) the guys here really do make an effort to install such interesting things.  Here we have what appears to be an Abstract piece of Art work forming the backdrop and a painted armchair, guitar, books, a camera and hangers.  All in the same tones as the merchandise.  The merchandise itself is not particularly interesting although they are making an effort and that needs to be applauded.

Energie, London

These guys have been producing some really fun schemes recently.  We saw the giant blinking eye balls a while back and and their latest offering is these cut-out Black and White drawn faces with outrageously large moustaches which is great fun too.  This is such a simple scheme which illustrates that one doesn't always need lavish budgets to produce something that is quick and effective across multiple sites.  

Alfred Dunhill. London

We're not sure who produces the schemes at Dunhill and particularly at this site next to Fortnum and Mason, however these guys always seem to produce such wonderful quality schemes.  Someone here knows all of the product dynamics and all the rules of window presentation as they always seem to get it so right.  Quietly working away and doing what they  do we are very intrigued to know who does these?  Does anyone know?

Esprit, London

We're loving this new promotion at Esprit through their window scheme, although we cant find anything linking this on their website?

Anthropologie, London

Anthropologie are still very much rocking the London visual scene and we can never resist but to pause and take a look at what these guys are doing.  Post repetition cork scheme we have this suspended embroidery-frame-like-structure surrounding the merchandise and beckoning us into their commercial space.  We are inspired by the brand philosophy but as we have commented before, the bust forms are just not right.  Cu'mon guys, check out Proportion>London or Panache and have a look at their incredible bust forms with articulated arms.  We know you don't want to be 'All Saints' but

you can create a wonderful sense of movement rather than just incredible props and environment with quite nice merchandise attached dressed on bust forms which are completely static.

Selfridges, London

We'll avoid saying that there's something a bit fishy going on at Selfridges right now.  But, wow, what an awe inspiring scheme.  While dodging the tourists and practising our 'umbrelletiquette' in the pouring London rain (nothing new there then) these windows are just incredible to experience.  With heaps of interactivity, information, entertainment but with a serious message, Selfridges remains at the heart of the industry and draws on the historical references of what department stores are all about, although, not dragged but leading the way through the 21st century.  No wonder this place is always so busy when they clearly get it all so right.

Wright and Teague, London

Image courtesy and Copyright Wright and Teague

Serendipity is such an incredible experience and purely by chance a few months ago we came across Wright and Teague via one of our contacts in NYC.  The guys design such incredible jewellery which is both informed and has a clearly strong philosophy.  "Gary Wright and Sheila Teague are inspired, aesthetically and intellectually by the premier role enjoyed by jewellery in all societies, tribal, modern and ancient, its deep rooted spiritual connection to ritual and heritage".  With their latest window installation by the ever talented Gary Wright, we can make such interesting links between what these guys do and how they are enticing us visually into their space.  This oozes the sophistication that we have come to enjoy about what these guys do.  Dover st. is rocking the visual in retail right now. It seems, far more interesting things (than Bond St.) are 'bubbling up' from this part of Mayfair right now.