Holiday Windows in Paris

A few weeks ago we went to Paris on a trending trip for one of our clients. Along the way, we shot imagery, left and right, as everything caught our eye! Few places are more inspirational during holiday season and we wanted to share a few of our favorite and most relevant window shots with you.

Creative Sleighs

The idea of the sleigh will never go away and Printemps has reinvented the idea this season with a few clever solutions. Lucky cats double as carousels, blending eastern and western themes with the use of color and costume. Contrasting the slick porcelain sleigh, needle point horse and chariots sit a few windows away, giving the concept of decoupage new meaning.

Pretty in Pink

Be it evil chucky babies or over sized matryoshka dolls, Parisians are pulling at feminine strings, combing pink palettes with textured backdrops. The babies and their necklaces can be found in the Marais, while the Russian dolls are part of a Chanel series at Printemps.

Paper Graphics

H&M is a little different in Europe. The merchandise is slightly less chaotic and the attention to detail is more on target. The overarching theme this season embraces the doll house, incorporating a multitude of printed box tops to achieve this effect. Taping less vivid palettes on the interior retail displays, 3D/2D illustrations cover the back walls, reminding us what Audrey Hepburn’s closet would look like if she chose to collaborate with H&M.

White Wonderland

Be it an orbiting headdress from Chanel or a glistening crown from Printemps, white is the safest and most glamorous color choice for the holiday season, particularly when paired with gold. Be it paper, branches, toule or pearl, both of these windows seem to have taken a page out of Ralph Lauren’s playbook.

Figurine Storytelling

Tugging at the customer’s inner child. these two windows remind us of Toy Story, from both the masculine and feminine perspective. Warrior play sets battle through mens merchandise while pink doll sets tumble though pink ribbon obstacle courses.

December 22, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Fashion: The Cosby Comeback

Ah, the infamous Cosby sweater. We’re all aware of the jokes that defined much of the 80’s. Fast forward a few decades and it seems like the creative folks at American Apparel, Calvin Klein and Oxbow for Colette are tapping this fun-house style for their latest lines. While the mismatched textures are somewhat overwhelming, the cuts are modern and the themes coherent, allowing customers of all ages to take part in this pattern bazar. It’s also interesting to note MC Esher and Dali’s influences continuing on into winter. We wonder if Patricia Field will be the next visionaire to jump on board, as these textures seem like a seamless fit for her eclectic style.

December 9, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Trend: Mexican Masks

Whether you’re a fan of Santogold, Santigold or La Lucha Libre, knowing who any of these characters are means you’re clued into the Mexican wrestling scene (or you’re just a fan of good music). Variety acts such as these are joining the nightlife ranks, proving America’s fascination with Mexican culture is moving well beyond the menu. Hola Mexico, a Mexican film festival, made the rounds this past summer, gaining support from corporate sponsors such as American Airlines, Chipotle, Dos Equis and Taco Bell. Proving this trend is beginning to penetrate more traditional female markets, home good stores, such as Propeller Modern in San Francisco, are filling their shelves with Mexican inspired knickknacks. This glitter-lined tiger-striped piggy bank is just one creative take on this trend, proving the commercial fascination is just getting started.

December 1, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Art: 2D Tanagrams

Nearly every child is handed a tanagram on their first day of kindergarten. From day one, we’re taught that structures are built from a series of parts and encouraged to play architect on the classroom carpet. These early associations follow us through life and are a reminder that the most complex arrangements are comprised of simple building blocks. This windowsill scene, shot by the talented photographer, The Selby, captures this playful notion as he follows Natalie Wood, a Sydney-based fashion designer around her home. Striping these structures of their volume, Jonathan Runcio uses basic palettes and tonal shapes to convey depth and movement on a 2D surface. The results are stunning and a reminder that life’s continually an asymmetrical balancing act.

November 30, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Trend: Offtrack Stitching

Imagine a world without the delete button. As humans, we’re programmed to color within the lines and erase when necessary. Rarely are we applauded for revealing mistakes along the way. Today we’re showcasing two works that defy this train of thought and prove true beauty is a never ending stream of consciousness. In a recent collaboration with the home decor company, Maharam, Hella Jongerius of the Netherlands, has stitched this intricate and unpredictable pillow cover. Using a similar technique, Jessica Rankin, of Sydney, Australia incorporates obscured language into her creative studies. Be it pattern, dialect or unconventional theory, we’re excited to see future works from both Jongerius and Rankin, as their experimental formulas are a breath of fresh air when considering the pace of today’s production lines.

November 24, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Trend: Masked Voyeurism

hidden-visibility

Masks have been around since the dawn of time. While their recent presence in pop culture once appeared to be nothing more than a passing phase, global conversations encompassing human behavior in the digital realm continue to keep this trend in the limelight. Living with hyperconnectivity, the average person can aim for fame and obscurity all from the comfort of their own home.

Privacy operates like a two-way mirror and these carefully constructed masks allow regular personalities to hide behind artful obscurity. Be it Peter Pilotto’s punk masterpiece for Dazed and Confused, this paper collection found on Cool Hunter, the bobble and animal heads from Theme Magazine, Mike Mill’s textile models, this old Hair’em or Scare’em book cover covering hair-centric conversations, Stella McCartney’s budget-minded retail windows or this devilish McQueen mask made from childrens toys, all of these examples allow the user to be seen behind a veil of mystery.

Hidden visibility poses the public vs. private dilemma and as digital voyeurism continues to grow, we anticipate more masks and more debate.

By: Kelsey-Lee LeGassick

November 19, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik