Prada, London

We're just loving the colours at this brand right now.  How cool are these guys?  Spring is no where to be seen in London right now, but with their muted tones and clear forward thinking, the visual team here are producing such superb-fast-forward-in-time yet such simple schemes that we want to lick the windows.  In fact.....well....yes it was us that smeared your windows while drooling at the product - sorry.  The bottom window could perhaps do with a little pick-me-up but apart from that, quality is screaming from these windows.

Stella McCartney, London

We were rather knocked out by this scheme rocking Stella McCartney right now.  Who would have thought that we actually like a scheme from this brand, eh?  OK, well be could mention the fact that the mannequins and product are not illuminated but we don't care in this instance.  In fact the mannequins and product are a bit of a distraction in this scheme.  Its not Vegas, we know, but the colours used here and the simplicity of the scheme is actually superb.  So there you go.  We do like some thing after all.

Juicy Couture, London

We were quite struck by this current scheme at Juicy Couture. We can see the possible references to New Years' keep fit resolutions but this looks more 'Wembley market' than representative of a brand in a 'lux' area of town.  However, beyond the chav-hoodie look that this brand seems to be promoting (its really not good is it), what is wonderful about it - and thank goodness that every cloud has a Silver lining - are the references to 'Memphis' from the 1980's.  If you were around at the time too then you'll know what we mean (otherwise maybe Google it or check in your local library.....if you still have one) and this is where, at least for us the brands' scheme redeems itself visually and we adore this element of what has been produced.  However, if you want to see this fashion 'look' then pop down to just about every deprived area anywhere. This is clearly a wealthy brand gone cheap-as-chips-at-a-price, but do we really need to see this in Lux-town too?  Just tellin' it like it is yeah-but-no-but-innit-tho'.

Moschino, London

We've been keeping a 'beady' (short for beady eye as in a close eye or following this brand closely.... etc, for our US friends....we're using our London slang here for which there is no dictionary) for quite some time.  We really do like what these guys are doing although we think we would have made the 'Sax' (saxophone....for our Asian readers who are translating this)   huge and outrageously out sized.  We love the balloons and musical notes although the Saxophone is too small.  Don't you think?

H & M, London

We've seen these Hans Belmar (Death and the Doll) references around quite a few times recently, either at Mango here in London and various stores in New York too.  We have to admit that the guys here have got it absolutely right (whatever that means) in terms of their scheme here at H and M and how cool does this look?  This trend seems to have begun last Summer with the launch of Jessie J's video for her hit single 'Price Tag' - maybe? 

Hermes, London

This is such a refreshing scheme from this brand, don't you think?  Possibly inspired by one of the numerous abstract expressionist painters, the coloured triangular shapes and cubed forms in various sizes set the context.  We're not so keen on the cubes for heads on the mannequins although we are thankful the visual team didn't go down the Mondrian visual route at least.

Mulberry, London

We love the new scheme at Mulberry right now.  With its most welcome seaside-type scheme of out sized sticks of rock, melting ice creams and bag of chips, this did bring a smile to our faces.  Its a shame that the security grill has to come down at night time as this really does spoil the view, but then needs must we guess in these times of heightened security.  Anyway, do go and check them out, we guarantee this scheme will bring a smile to your face too. 

Topman, London

We saw the visual team implementing this scheme at Topman just a few days ago (oh we remember the days of doing these windows, particularly when we had 15 of them wrapped around this site).  The space that these guys have is hugely enviable in the West End although of course is equally difficult to use.  However, while the scheme does appear as some kind of sinister torture (almost as if it is part of a giant water wheel but without the obligatory water) or some kind of contemporary but painful execution of the fashionista.....it does in reality look incredibly cool and of course is very well produced - its just our imagination running away with us.  Anyway, do go and have a look if you can.  Topshop hadn't completed their scheme but we may include them very soon.

Hackett, London

Hackett Scheme images Courtesy and Copyright Moe Krimat

How interesting is this?  2012 marks the 90th Anniversary of the first film by the genius Alfred Hitchcock.  What is particularly wonderful is Hacketts reference to this in their current Sale scheme.  What a relief not to view either large format letters spelling out the word Sale (do we really need to see this again......ever?) or large format graphics screaming 50% off.  Here we have a fantastic interpretation of Hitchcock's film 'The Birds'.....in a Sale scheme of all things and made their own by this amazing brand.  We've been enjoying what these guys have done throughout 2011 and what a way to begin 2012.  Interestingly, Mont Blanc have also picked up on this anniversary.  We guess this illustrates how much these brands have their fingers clearly and firmly on the pulse of it all.  Please keep these incredible schemes coming guys at Hackett throughout 2012 as we absolutely LOVE them and want to keep sharing the LOVE.  You have a massive head start in 2012 and clearly leading the way - thank you.

Tiffany, London

Well, this is an interesting little 'pup' of a scheme from this brand-lux store along Bond Street.  This current scheme appears as kind of wrought iron gates or railings (to us), with their fabulous jewellery suspended within it.  Of course this is a massively refreshing scheme and most welcome this time of year, particularly considering that most London is in Sale.  January is notoriously slow on shifting this bling, so of course as always, any inspiration for windows is such a pleasure to view.

Salvatore Ferragamo, London

Just what we needed after a 10 hour flight - to look at ourselves in the cold light of day even more warped than usual in these curved mirrored bases at Salvatore Ferragamo.  We do have to mention however how much better these mirrored finished look as opposed to the shiny wooden finish ones we saw recently at this brand.  Naturally the product is superb and the scheme is very well produced as one would expect, in the usual window dynamics.  However, as we feel like we've just been exhumed and flaky-skinned from the dry cabin air, seeing our reflections is not a good look right now.

Max Mara, London

We can hardly believe its been almost a month since we looked at London windows.  However, nothing revolutionary has happened in our absence of course.   Margaret Thatcher still thinks she's the Queen, everyone in the US still thinks that Sarah 'Fergie' Ferguson sings with the Black Eyed Peas and H an M have rolled out their Jessie 'J' Its not about the Money, Money, Money 2011 video referenced scheme.  Of course its freezing not having the luxury and the warmth of the Nevada Winter sun after we had warmed up like little lizards on a rock (and simultaneously air con'd), but ah well, we're glad to be back in Blighty.  Anyway, while popping down to Bond street with jet lag the size of a small European country and looking like the old craggy stewardesses who still think they are flying Pan-Am, we happened upon this very delicious scheme at Max Mara.  Wow, look at these colours, just superb.  Such a simple scheme, bust forms placed in a repetition format with a large format graphic.  Not revolutionary, but all beautifully done of course.  In the meantime someone please pass the Melatonin and a pint of something Duty Free (on the rocks)

Learning from Las Vegas, Parts 5 and 6

In our final entry on Las Vegas (and learning from it) we decided to go back to where it all began - Fremont st.  In now what appears visually as an in town /out of town shopping area reminiscent, albeit vaguely of a northern city shopping centre back in the UK or a Russian shopping mall, only with better weather and more lights. This area has a huge worn-out-curly-edged-dog-eared-tinge of faded glory about it, although it appears that someone somewhere has attempted to regenerate it with the addition of an enormous 'light-show' canopy over the main drag.  This is what Vegas always appeared to be from the outside looking in and from every kind of media we've ever seen, and we are fascinated to be part of  it.  Now sadly,  here, the vagrants hassle tourists for money by attempting to strike up a conversation at the loudest level possible.  We impolitely ignore them as our British accents appears to give them more opportunity to converse and they move on to the next passing flaneurs.  The proudly and literally named 'heart attack grill' delivers steaks the size of a cow (complete with parked ambulance and waitresses dressed as nurses) and deep fried Oreo's are on the surrounding menu's - nice.  This area seems to be a populated Farmagusta of the West, or an homage to the way things were only with a lot more lights attached. The flashing signs at the toe curling Glitter Gulch Gentleman's club, 4 Queens (with missing or broken lights) and the Golden Nugget beckoned us in - we easily manage to resist.  Our eyes smart at the strap line of Oscar's casino which announces that it has 'beef, booze and broads' (interesting how cultural dynamics change but some places are to vacuous to keep up) and the ill-fitting ruched lurid Pink and Green outfits of the 'door-whores' at Mermaids drive the final nail in the visual coffin and so its time to move on.

In Part 6, our final entry and further along the road less travelled we ventured into the surrounding streets in an attempt to scratch a little deeper into the skin of this place.  We found a lot of interesting graffiti which communicate political frustrations as well as the humour of the local population.  Some of the signs and signifier's beyond the sanitised resorts really are quite telling of how the main drag is perceived and how life really is beyond the gloss and glamour.  We have only touched on the fringes of this incredible place, and only been able to show you a tiny snapshot of what we are looking at and our emotional response to it.  These things of course are best experienced, but hopefully the small slides that we have given you at least offer a kind of 'Google Earth' view of Las Vegas. We would recommend that you visit here yourself and experience all it has to offer.  The pendulum between perceived ecstasy and sadness, despair and hopelessness seems to swing quite far out here but then it was always going to be in the Casino's favour, wasn't it?  In the meantime, we're London bound.