Matches Fashion, London

Images Courtesy and Copyright Nathan Hicks @ Matches Fashion

We're regular visitors to Matches Fashion's website and can regularly be found licking our screens and wishing for their products.  Is that to much information?  This is probably one of the finest boutiques in town and we love it.  We're also huge fans of their window schemes too; we loved their recent neon scheme with the incredible references to Vegas and post modernism.  Anyway, their latest offering is of course bringing us into Summer (even though we are still waiting for it to happen here in London).  Anyway, Matches' scheme 'draws inspiration from this seasons floral trend and features designers such as Erdem, Vionnet, Dolce and Gabbana and Emilia Wickstead'.  Another winner from this phenomenal brand we think.

Hackett, London

This is such an interesting move by Hackett right now.  Normally we see a 'bus stop line' of bust forms showing their wares, however this week we've spotted their new scheme of suspended bird cages in gorgeous colours and 'caged' products.  OK, well we could say that we have seen it all before, however what is particularly interesting is to see this at a menswear brand.  These guys are injecting so much interest and creativity that would can only say how fantastic it is to have some entertainment back on the high street.  We now need to work on injecting some clever humour sadly lacking everywhere else and with both the Olympics and the Jubilee pending lets hope we have a few 'winners' out there to keep us all smiling through the agony.

Miss. Sixty, Paris

We love these gorgeous windows at Miss. Sixty in Paris right now.  Beautifully illustrations fill the background creating this stunning Summer scheme.  Another little winner from this brand, we think and many thanks to the anonymous source for sharing these with us.

T.M.Lewin, London

Wow, we love how creative the guys at T.M Lewin look right now....what do you think?

La Rosa Exhibition, Italy

Images Courtesy and Copyright La Rosa

We are so excited to share with you that the incredibly avant garde mannequin company, La Rosa has an exhibition which has just recently launched.  The 'anthological exhibition ManneQUEEN, since 1922 [is] showcasing the history of La Rosa, Milan'.  This incredibly exciting exhibition not only looks at how the human form has changed over the last century but also the impact that it has had on society including the influences of surrealism, realism etc.  This is certainly one of the most important exhibitions of our industry so far in this 21st Century and has been organised by La Rosa in conjunction with Fundacion Cristobal Balenciaga in Milan; curated by Gigi Rigamonti.  We are keeping our fingers crossed that it will tour and hopefully the company  have plans to show in London and New York.  The exhibition runs until 15th July 2012 at the Cristobal Balenciaga Museoa, Aldamar Parkea, 6 Getaria.  You must go and see this even if it is the only thing you do this year.

Moss Bros, London

When did Moss Bros get cool?  Well, about a week ago to be exact.  We didn't think we would ever include this brand on this site as we do attempt to seek out the creative and interesting rather than act as brands' free PR, however, we are quite mesmerised at this 'extreme makeover' at the store along Regent st.  As part of the Regents st. Windows project, Moss Bros have been preened and plucked into shape by Architects Delevendahl Martin who's installation is intended to 'distort the perception of depth and perspective as viewed from the street'.  This really is a remarkable transformation for a brand which is usually so lame  on the visual front thats its painful to look at while rushing by. We can only hope that the purse string holders in the finance deparment at this brand will slip into underwear that is a little less restricting, unclench their very tight buttocks and release the funds to continue with such an exciting approach.  We know you guys read this stuff, this is a remarkable change, and we really hope to see more.  Will we?

Banana Republic, London

Regent st. here in London is buzzing right now.  With the pending opening of the new Burberry and .........OK well, we're less that enthusiastic about Hollister...... but then Austin Reed, Aquascutum and Habitat weren't cutting it so we guess is was only ever going to be inevitable with their arrival here.  But anyway, the British determination to make Art statements thankfully prevails and this year the Regents Street Windows project is ever more welcome.  At Banana, the Architects Ushida Findlay and Visitor Studio have this incredible installation in place to entertain, to provoke and amaze us all.  We weren't massively drawn in initially, but then that could be something to do with the 'plastique' Zebras in Banana's regular windows, however, we soon discovered that this splash like form is actually laser cut animals in a tinted Eco resin; ever more visible in a photograph.  We aren't sure that it 'revokes childhood memories of play while capturing the theme of Banana Republic' - doesn't this sounds as if it has been badly translated and has that hint of nauseous sentimentality about it?  That said, it does look incredibly so damned good and we would have loved to have seen this in all of the windows here.  Although, its OK, we have 'plastique-my-little-Zebras' to view instead and that's OK, right?

Gant, London

We love this scheme at Gant right now...!  This is probably one of the best we've seen from these guys recently, and which really hits the mark.  The nostalgia references are absolutely on trend and the execution just beautifully produced.  The attention to detail is incredible (we had been wondering who we had been bidding against us on eBay for these copies of 'Life' magazine and clearly these guys won).  Great fun and definitely worth checking out if you can along Regent st.

Oasis, London

Images Courtesy and Copyright Hawkesandforman.com

Wow, Oasis just keep getting better and better, don't they?  Working in collaboration with the clearly ever talented Hawkes & Forman this brand looks so incredibly good.  Oasis is another brand that appears to be breathing life into itself after a long period of appearing to gradually disappear from the high street, however with creativity in tandem with a commercial mind at the forefront and an obviously confident backing, we're dying to see where they go next.  Fun and creative yet promoting the product and the brand as the place to shop = job well done.  What do you think? 

Burberry, London

Clearly Burberry can do  no wrong right now and they have certainly upped their game and looking incredibly good.  The product is gorgeous, the experience is second to none and they look so damned good.

Wallis, London



Images Courtesy and Copyright DisplayOne / Wallis

When did Wallis start looking so fricking cool, eh?  With so many brands on the high street; most looking so identical that one can only wonder how they ever make a profit?  However, Wallis is screaming through the malls and high streets across the country that once again they are a force to be reckoned with.  In conjunction with the incredibly talented guys at Displayone.co.uk Wallis looks good again.  We finally have something to say about these guys and are therefore gladly sharing the love.  For so long, this brand seemed to whither away and only just about teetered teasingly above the parapet keeping us wondering whether they would be 'doing the walk of shame' back to the Green room of no-brand-land and sitting on that no-brand-land-couch with Barratt Shoes, Woolworths and The Pier while we all stood back and wondered.....'wha' happen'.  But, now..........taadaa....someone clearly has their finger firmly on the pulse and breathing some life back into this monolithic company.  Just watch this space, we want to see what they do next - no pressure though guys.

LampArt, UK



Images Courtesy and Copyright Jessica Gill

Whether for photographic shoots or props for in store then these gorgeous lamps by Jessica Gill are clearly a must for the Summer season that ooze the warm glow we all need right now.  Up-cycled, re-cycled and beautiful found objets d'arts are transformed by this fabulous Artist into these amazing pieces.  Our favourites are the Golden Seaweed Lanterns, so check out her site and see what she can do for you http://www.jessicagill.net

Duchamp, London

We've never included Duchamp in this site before, although that's probably because they don't normally do anything very interesting.  However, we stopped in our tracks on the way to the tube last night, in between the downpours of rain to capture this little gem.  What a relief to finally find something creative at this end of Regent street that grabbed our attention....and we weren't the only ones either;  while capturing this scheme with is gorgeous nostalgic references, which of course are absolutely on trend right now with prose from the timeless Wordsworth, several tourists were doing the same and sharing the love.  We finally have an anchor at this little abyss at the end of Regent street here in London and will keep an eye on these guys to see what they do next.  Job well done we think.