French Connection, London

How good are French Connection looking?  It looks like that awful previous campaign has been dropped (thankfully?, hopefully? Remember.... I am handbag, You are Goat....kind of thing which had a bearded Scandinavian feel about it, and absolutely and completely nonsense) anyway, someone here appears to have gripped this puppy by the throat and these guys seem to be back on track, picked themselves up, dusted themselves off and looking damn good.  We did think that it was touch and go with this brand and its probably taken every ounce of energy to get here.  In the meantime,  we've seen a few of these large format vinyls at the entrance of stores in places such as the new Juicy store along Regent street and they do look cool, don't you think?  We love how this store along Oxford street looks right now and really glad to be able to stop by and be wowed.  Love it. 

Mulberry, London

The latest scheme at Mulberry really did bring a smile to our faces.  We adore these out sized 'Yeti' paws and feet (would a yeti's have paws and feet if they existed?)  Anyway, great fun.  We just wish that this store didn't have this awful security grille behind it which just destroys this scheme when the store is closed.  Nonetheless, these guys have difficult windows to work with and they've done a great job, don't you think?

Victorinox, London

We were drawn to the scheme here at Victorinox for a variety of reasons.  Firstly, because we like this sense of exhibition space that they have created here around such a tiny product which kind of promotes this sense of the show room rather than narrative.  We were also drawn in because of the Le Corbusier influenced (we are guessing) product here; we're huge fans of Le Corbusiers work.  It appears that we can customise our own product here which is quite a leap forward in product development at this brand and we thought that the only place we could do this currently is at Nike and their trainers (or sneakers if you're reading this stateside)  Anyway, an interesting concept nonetheless; make ours a Swiss Army Knitting Needle please with a bit that opens all doors and safety deposit boxes.

 

Liberty, London

Oh Liberty, we have missed the fun of your schemes and the superb quality of the out comes.  We cant help but be drawn to this store to see what they are doing.  We probably always say this but we always lament just a little the fact that they lost their main windows on Regent st.  However the guys here always manage to 'pull it out of the bag' and deliver a corker of a scheme.  Narrative, luxury and fun are key ingredients here mixed with a very, very clever and intelligent humour.  You just gotta love it; we do.

Intimissimi, London

At first glance walking along Oxford Street we sort of quite liked this scheme at Intimissimi.  On closer inspection....well......what can we say?  Look at the detail of the chandelier and maybe you can make up your own mind about this, although we know what you're thinking.....yep...cheap scheme.  The nauseating lacy chandelier did actually cause a little mini-sickness in our throats as we walked by.  Oh.....but what could have been done with this brand when there is so much out there on the high street to bench mark it against.  Well, Victoria's Secrets will open soon in the old Pringle store along Bond St. so these guys will really need to get their act together and wow us into their space....else remember La Senza?.  So, cu'mon guys chuck out that bloody awful cheap chandelier and get something rather more glamorous into the space?  We're just telling it like it is.

Desigual, London

The guys at Desigual are absolutely right.  London is not the same.  How wonderfully chaotic and exciting is this scheme in what is actually a tiny space?  Desigual is so hot right now and this scheme says it all.  We're exciting, we're fun and we're full of life just screams from just this one window.  We absolutely adore what the guys do here and we've been catching up on some You tube promotions that they have done and, well, wow;  these guys are so fricking good and clearly have the best people working with them.

Hackett, London

Oh those guys at Hackett have done it again.  These guys must have so much fun down at Hackett house (wherever it is, and we hope they make the most noise in their office too).  Anyway, its not easy to achieve what they have produced and it looks amazing.  Everything is in here that matters.....narrative, fun, entertaining, nostalgia and reflective and most of all it sells the product.  Thanks guys, you are superstars and rocking the London high streets right now.  Keep 'em coming.

Zara, London

We love this scheme at Zara right now.  OK, well its possibly one of the remnants from the Olympics, but we have been out of the country for a while so its new to us.  In this locker room scene which looks almost like a modern version of a Caravaggio painting, the mannequins with their zigzag eye brows and multi-coloured wigs just looks superb, don't you think?

John Lewis, London

Well we're back in London and wow......how hot is this city?  We're not just talking about whats happening here window-wise but the weather is incredible..!  Anyway, we've already been out and about to have a look around town and it is amazing all of the changes that have taken place in a relatively short space of time.  D&G have closed their massive store  on Bond st. and Smytheson is going through a whole refit.  Coach has opened its doors for business and Juicy has opened in the old Kurt Geiger store in Regent st.  Gawd you turn ya back for on minute and the whole place falls apart.  Anyway, in the meantime, John Lewis is rocking Oxford St. with its massive Union flag graphic wrapped around the building.  Magnificent..!  We're so glad that the VML's have kicked in with Westminster Council to support this stuff.  We hope we will see more of it.  (VML's = Visual Merchandising Laxatives)

Signage, Shanghai

On our very last day in China, we decided to take some time out and climb (well, elevator) to the top of the Pearl Tower.  Although our Chinese is not good, we have to guess that this sign means no smoking and no hair dryers? 

We're now London bound so we'll be showing you next the latest and greatest from the coolest place on the planet; post jet lag of course.

Izzue, Shanghai

One of our favourite brands right now here in Shanghai has to be Izzue.  We had never heard of them before although we've seen several of their stores across China and their stores are looking super cool.   We're guessing that these guys are a Vietnamese brand as the Vietnamese seem to be getting everything so right?  Anyway, the merchandise is just a little on the super small size and this stuff is a little pricey for Chinese high street merchandise, although it is fabulous quality and we are rather tempted.

Markets, Shanghai

As regular readers will know, we spend hours scouring markets for delicious finds for trends and props and Shanghai has some corkers.  If you're looking for a ceramic Chairman Mao in a multitude of poses, some old Chinese lamps in unusual shapes, old coins, suitcases, bird cages or just some Asian stuff....the list goes on......then look no further.  We have to confess that we did have to treat ourselves to a ceramic waving Chairman Mao just for the kitsch value although we did resist the man selling a tiny vase in which one would place just one flower.....pluuurreaase we have enough 'stuff' already.  Anyway, the market traders here do come across a little aggressive and we're not really sure when we explain that 'We don't want a rusty bird cage thanks' whether they are replying 'Oh OK nice British visual researchers, 'ave a nice day guv'nor' or whether they have just put some Gypsy curse on us.  These guys do like to peer into your wallet however so if you do get down here, have small notes and haggle like your life depends on it.  One ceramic Chairman Mao - 3 quid, Kitsch value - priceless.

Plaza 353, Shanghai

We're becoming a little shopping weary right now having explored most of the malls, plaza's and department stores in Shanghai.  We are finding much of the same stuff repeated everywhere so any little gems that we find seem to make us ever more excited and delirious (well either that or the sun stroke is kicking in a treat).  Anyway, if by chance you happen to be in Plaza 353 and need to lift the shopping malaise then check out these fun seats.  The instructions are in Chinese and to be honest we don't have enough energy to even begin to try and translate this, but essentially these are old chairs with inflatable bits attached to them.  We don't know how comfortable they are, but they are great fun to view and we love this combination of the old and the new here.