Hugo Boss, London

We weren't initially sure about this scheme at Hugo Boss right now which we can view around town (and probably every where else around the world)  as it is very similar to an LV scheme from a few years ago which featured Big Brother-style CCTV-style video cameras.  However, while this scheme is essentially metallic paper aeroplanes, there are more layers here than one would expect.  We found ourselves across their Regent st branch today viewing this scheme and bizarrely this whole installation has so many other layers than one would expect.  Shadows of people passing this installation are reflected within these metallic finished pieces which as they (the passersby) walk by are reflected within in them.  This instantly gives these pieces a sense of movement.  Whether by default or by design, suddenly this installation is elevated to the realms of a Fine Art installation where one needs to scratch a lot lower below the surface in order to find some kind of meaning.  This scheme/installation is working way beyond our own expectations and good on these guys at Hugo Boss.

Selfridges, London

We're loving Selfridges Museum of Everything right now.  We went along ourselves  a few weeks ago to take part in the experience and it really is interesting to see how some of these iconic stores really are opening up (possibly) previously unused spaces.  The Museum of Everything is 'Britains first and only Museum for the unintentional, untrained and unknown artists of our modern age'.  This is an incredible leap forward by a major institution, particularly as their incredibly expensive windows are given over in this promotion and barely a product in site.  Confidence indeed in what this brand is about and we're sure this scheme will eventually be seen as one of those massively benevolent ones in support of the greater community and ones which we will be talking about for eons.  Good on ya Selfridges. 

Oasis, London

We haven't seen masses of creativity from this brand for a long time, however these guys seemed to have re-positioned themselves again and doing some amazing stuff.  Their latest scheme with its jumbo knit and out sized knitting needles' installation in conjunction with recent graduate Claire Nixon is rocking London right now.

Alassio, Italy, On the streets

Images copyright MEB.

Our roving researcher MEB has just landed in the 10th century town of Alassio in the northern part of Italy on her quest to find the latest concepts and information on the streets.  Here in Alassio, the most significant element is the Muretto.  550 signed by celebrities have been used and applied to decorate this structure in a collage format. 

Tiffany, London

This was a tricky scheme to capture at Tiffany on our little 'digi cam' and is equally quite difficult to comment on.  Its possibly not their not most interesting scheme this year and the wit and humour is a little lacking in this scheme.  But then, things move on, hey?  Of course the quality is always here in the presentation and of course its so incredibly challenging to keep on coming up with ever more original themes and schemes.  Ah well........next..!

UK wins Visual Merchandising Gold Medal



Image Copyright Adam Holt / http://www.guardian.co.uk/

Earlier this week the UK won the Gold Medal in Visual Merchandising.  How incredibly exciting is this?  The rigorously selected best of under 25 year olds from around the world competed at Excel last week during a 4 day grueling competition with competitors from all corners of the globe. 

During the past 10 months we've been working with the wonderfully bubbly Kirsty Hoadley on a weekly basis to build up her skills for the competition.  Together we visited all kinds of events (including the Truvia experience on the roof of Selfridges) and worked through a rigorous training/educational and selection programme in order to get to this stage.  Kirsty worked extremely hard, putting in the long hours of work that this industry demands, taking the media circus surrounding her completely in her stride, included radio and newspaper interviews and various film crews capturing the journey.  It has been a wonderful privilege to work with someone who shares our passion for the Visual Merchandising industry and a particular thanks to www.dzd.co.uk and www.millingtonassociates.com who helped and supported us in achieving the  Gold medal.  Kirsty now joins the Fashion Retail Branding and Visual Merchandising course at the London College of Fashion.  In the meantime, watch this space - Kirsty Hoadley is a star in the making and you heard it here first. 

More information about the event can be found on the link below.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldskills/team-uk-wins-five-golds-at-worldskills-london-2011?newsfeed=true

Image Copyright Gemma Emslie

Visual Merchandising Awards, 2011, London

Images Copyright Melvyn Vincent

Were you at the Visual Merchandising Awards 2011 last Friday?  If not then you really did miss an incredible evening.  In the company of film and televisions giggly Christopher Biggins  who hosted the evening, it really was a corker.  Out with the Drag Queens and crappy entertainment and in with a very sophisticated and very well planned night guided through what seemed like a fast paced night of awards - simply because it was such fun but so dignified.  And didn't it fly by, hey?  OK, well we picked up one of these lil' pups ourselves which made our evening rather more euphoric than usual, although what was particularly interesting was how some of the usually unsung hero's of the UK's Visual Merchandising industry were rewarded for their hard work over the the big-boys-with-big-budgets-and-big-egos-to-match who always seemed to flood the awards with their albeit, often well deserved schemes,  but give some else the opportunity too, right?  Anyway, the spread of awards was absolutely right and to see some of the smaller budgeted groups pick up an award was absolutely brilliant and encouraging - afterall, we dont want to kill our industry, do we?  The Visual Merchandising schemes entered for the 2011 Awards were viewed and judged by some of the industries finest and impartial.  The ante has been upped enormously this year and looking forward we can only wonder how things will develop from these robust foundations?  Better and better, we feel.
All images were kindly supplied by Melvyn Vincent at http://web.me.com/melvincent/VMAwards11/Photos.html

Hermes, London

We had a large dose of Deja vu recently when we saw the current scheme at Hermes.  Of course we love the Hermes scheme, although we had already spotted the 'same' scheme within the windows of an independent interiors store along Wigmore street last July (actually 22nd July, images below).   Oh dear, someone is so busted.  We've been debating whether to put this on-line and save someones blushes but decided that since we have to work so hard to develop new ideas and new concepts ourselves which involves enormous amounts of time researching and developing, as do so many others within the Visual Merchandising industry, then why should anyone else not?  Right?  Schemes within Luxury brands don't come cheap and research and development time would have certainly been factored into the cost to the brand.  Whether the same company produced both is irrelevant, this is something we just don't do as  these kind of situations can begin to undermine the brand.  We're just telling it like it is.

Monaco, France, On the streets

Images Copyright MEB

The delicious MEB has been trawling the glamorous Monaco in the the South of France for us today to gather inspiration and information in order to inform those store window concepts.  Looking at Art and Design in the environment is an incredibly important part of concept development and we always look to these things for our own collection of inspirational scrapbooks and sketchbooks which we record and keep religiously.  Don't you? 

Nice, France



Images Copyright MEB

Over the past week we've sent out our roving researcher (MEB - she doesn't like to be named) to have a look at the markets in Nice, south of France.  Interestingly, Pewter, Religious Iconography and the usual  clocks are big trends right now any way and we have seen a lot of this stuff cropping up all over London in conjunction with all of the various other trends that we've mentioned here.

Hong Kong

Images Copyright Angel Ko

Our wonderful contact Angel Ko, has very kindly sent us images of the latest luxury brand schemes installed at their Hong Kong stores.  It really is fascinating how these brands implement the same schemes around the world and yet quite sad that there is no apparent differentiation.  Why leave home any more?  These brands do what they do so incredibly well of course and we are very fortunate that we are able to view what is happening elsewhere although we cant help feeling that shopping journeys would be so much more interesting if localised creative approaches were considered, dont you think? 

Miu Miu, London

We came across this scheme at Miu Miu a few weeks ago, but only now just had the opportinuty to include it here.  This is probably one of the best schemes that this brand has implemented here at this store in London by far, and pure simplicity.  With its Blackened backdrop of semi-flashing images (which can only really be appreciated in reality) we have some great ingredients here for an interesting scheme. 

Moschino, London

Wow, Winter really must be on its way when we view schemes like this.  We have to admit, that we haven't always been fans of what this brand does, although it does have a certain style to it.  With its cartoon-like Penguins and faux rocks ('that they got') it does at the very least light up a drab part of Conduit st.