Summer Shop Front Displays

Forever 21
Blanco
SWEET TARTS
COLOR
Primark
Forever 21
Brighter updates on soft hues brought a fresh take on Summer color for June. Pastels and mid-tone hues like
candy pink, sherbet orange, sky blue, lemon and mint were popped with brights and white for depth. Powdery,
matte surfaces accentuate the candy-like palette. Retro, kitschy locations like pool clubs and stadiums along with
whimsical objects like beach balls and streamers evoke faded childhood memories sure to appeal to all.
Ralph Lauren
Marc by Marc Jacobs
Selfridges
Selfridges
Tommy Hilfiger
C&A
FUNCATION
THEME
A whimsical take on beach vacation themes updates classic Summer visual merchandising this month. Saturated
and whitened brights mix with faded, sun-bleached hues for a nostalgic effect. Retro seaside themes—resorts,
snack shacks, cabanas, postcards—are appealing and entertaining. Oversized imagery and scenic backdrops
further support the happy theme, irresistible to all who pass by.
Sisley
HOTHOUSE
THEME
Sisley
Anthropologie
Harrods
Ambrosi Abrianna
Lush, exotic greenery updates the tropical theme from last month. Real and faux plants in crowded arrangements
and layered over long grass carpets for a plush effect. Green backdrops and lighting accentuate the verdant
effect. Hothouses, wheelbarrows and gardening implements lend a horticulture note. An oversized fan at Sisley in
Milan beckons the overheated shoppers outside to enter for some relief from the blazing summer heat.
Harrods
Harrods
FANTASY ISLAND
THEME
Hermes
Ralph Lauren
Passersby may have found themselves transported away by shop displays this month, with many depicting
scenes of appealing fantasylands. Oversaturated backdrops and luscious scenery added to the dreamlike
landscapes. Hermesʼs windows encased a bleached out tropical oasis with porcelain palms, while Printemps
depicted a cloaked mannequin emerging from a mysterious, unearthly green background. At Harrods, a seafaring
maiden reclines in a giant oyster shell surrounded by flotsam.
Ann Taylor
Reed Krakoff
Barneys New York
Gap
COS
Louis Vuitton
SUMMERTIME BLUES
COLOR
While Summer weather leaves most feeling refreshed and renewed, visual merchandisers have been spreading
the blues. From Klein International Blue to cobalt and royal, the vibrant hue was spotlighted in windows around
the world this month, abstractly symbolizing clear skies and open oceans. Barneys New York filled its display with
enlarged Pantone® swatches of various blue shades, while Ann Taylor matched its azure background to windowsized blowups from their catalog. Louis Vuitton referenced the sky, featuring a background of saturated blue and
suspended model airplanes.
Daks
Coach
Bergdorf Goodman
Bloomingdale's
Anthropologie
Banana Republic
BACKGROUND CHECK
THEMES
This June, visual merchandisers made it clear that the background story can be just as interesting as the main
event. Two such stories unfolded in storefront windows: One scientifically based, and the other emotionally
nostalgic. Scientific illustrations of flora and fauna formed a collage in the displays of both Daks and Bergdorf
Goodman. Faded maps overlapped to form a geographic wall for hanging handbags at Coach. Photo nostalgia
weighed just as heavily this month, as Bloomingdaleʼs and Banana Republic reflected on instant memories with
Poloroid-themed windows, and Anthropologie looked to the past with a vintage slide show.
BERGDORF GOODMAN
BEST OF
For June, Bergdorf Goodman welcomed Summer with a nod to nature. Using the work of New York-based artist
Kevin Paulsen, the Bergdorf team created a backdrop echoing natural light and nineteenth century folk art. A
calming palette of brick, pale yellow, ocean teals and desert tans provide a perfect accent to the garments
sharing the stage. From runway favorites like the Dolce & Gabanna garden lace dress to watercolor florals on a
pair of Summer shorts, this window feature transports the viewer to the long-awaited time of year with easy,
beautiful dressing for warm nights and the occasional gallery-hopping.
BLOOMINGDALE'S
BEST OF
Promoting the new line by Polaroid Grey Label: Haus of Gaga, Polaroid took over the Bloomingdale's windows on
Lexington and 59th to give fans a chance to get interactive. In one vignette, fans and passerby's could stand in
front of a Gaga lookalike mannequin to have their picture snapped and uploaded into the display, joining a mass
of giant Polaroids depicting Lady Gaga, oversized disco balls and all of the usual suspects associated with the
larger-than-life songstress. Gaga clones in the window were dressed in a variety of styles, from the sparkle of
BCBG Max Azria to the gothic drape of Rick Owens to the sexiness of Agent Provocateur. Very Gaga indeed!
SELFRIDGES
BEST OF
Selfridges bold window schemes featured unique, and often humorous visual interpretations of their much hypedabout campaign “Project Ocean”—an initiative addressing the disastrous effects of over-fishing on the
environment, as well as information on sustainability. Witty stylized sets brought the message to life, featuring
mock fish & chip vans without any fish, life-size postcards of empty seaside resorts, and mannequins adorning
designer Katherine Hamnettʼs specially commissioned capsule collection of graphic slogan tees. The introduction
of a giant interactive screen was a major highlight, drawing in huge interest from shoppers, and eventually
helping raise over £100k.
ANTHROPOLOGIE
BEST OF
Anthropologie brings out its unstoppably creative team again for a stellar installation this month. Large
constructed displays created from a patchwork quilt of parallelograms, squares and triangles inset into
whitewashed wooden frames fan out to form backdrops and domed cabanas. The soft mid-tone hues of blues,
corals and sea green echo the geometric tribal prints of the denim-friendly transitional collection inside.
HERMES
BEST OF
Hermès took its cues from the atelier this month, fashioning figurative versions of accessories with bobbins of
thread. Hats, heels, cuff bracelets, and even the iconic Birkin bag were re-created in exaggerated proportions,
and paired next to their human-scale counterparts in window scenes saturated with color ranging from teal,
purple, and orange to stark white. These quirky, crafty creations lent an air of wit and whimsy to the classic
French house, making for a bold, dynamic display nothing short of inspiring.
PRINTEMPS
BEST OF
Printemps celebrated the power of nature this month in bold, monochromatic window scenes punctuated by
flowers and fauna. Green leaves were individually suspended from the ceiling, evoking the quiet aura of a tropical
forest. Stylized cacti looked like natureʼs totems in scenes dowsed in blue, while floating red masses seemed to
suggest the complexity of a coral reef. Accentuated by one mannequin per vignette, Printemps evoked the
relationship between man and almighty nature.
HARRODS
BEST OF
World-renowned department store Harrods featured June window schemes exuding opulence, reinforced by
decadent references of the Italian Renaissance. Standing amidst a luscious garden backdrop consisting of
luminous green, a marble fountain, columns intertwined with ivy and imposing Roman statues, were statuesque
mannequins draped in flowing gowns of crisp white and rich berry hues. A consistent nod to the arts was
solidified by a striking interpretation of Botticelliʼs “The Birth of Venus,” which tied the entire luxurious theme
together seamlessly.
HARVEY NICHOLS
BEST OF
Harvey Nichols created a series of breathtaking commemorative windows honoring the life and talent of one of
Britainʼs most inspiring designers—the late Alexander McQueen. The windows coincided with NYCʼs Metropolitan
Museum of Artʼs much-anticipated retrospective, “Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty”, showcased an edit of
archival pieces ranging from the iconic dress from the S/S 99 show, in which robot arms spray-painted a model,
to items from the F/W 08 collection, inspired by a 600 year old elm tree. This moving initiative offered shoppers
and fashion fans the rare opportunity to see these pieces first hand, re-enforcing McQueenʼs legacy.