Moschino, London

Is the mannequin sat in darkness on purpose?  We do try to love what Moschino do but we can only ever really just like it.......sort of.  They are inclined to use out sized products, which is fine and perhaps part of this brands personality, however, we are just not sure if the fact that we cant see the merchandise is deliberate?  Inside the lens of the camera is perched a beautifully dressed mannequin and we can just about see her.  Fine of course if this is an Art installation, but if a brand is selling a product, doesn't it need to be seen, desired......bought?  The light that you can see in the image below is the reflection from a street lamp on the fenestration.

Anthropologie, London

If there was a space where we could happily and simply move in to it would be the Anthropologie store along Regent street.  This brand oozes creativity and at every turn there is something which draws our attention and guides us through the space.  Amazing products and super friendly service that we just need to swing by soon and get some more home ware. (these bust forms aren't doing the product any favours though)

Banana Republic, London

Wow, London windows are looking so good right now and we absolutely love this scheme at Banana on Regent street.  We're often quite critical of this brand and we don't always like what they do (does it matter what we think anyway?), but hats off to these guys who have pulled off this scheme quite superbly.  We haven't noticed a trend in 'travel' as a leading theme recently but it is Summer time, it is holiday time so from a seasonal angle this is absolutely right for now.  Its glamorous, its fun and does what it does quite superbly.

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.