Design Festival and new windows- chapter 1

Last week saw Vogue Fashion Night Out hit the streets of London, while Oxford/Regents St were not closed from traffic meaning retailers held back on the pop-up spaces and one off stalls usually associated with VFNO but here’s a look at the best bits.

Window Update
Experimentation with aluminium sheets, structural sail shapes at Louis Vuitton (window designed in collaboration with Frank Gehry.) While playful props at Fendi, but the use of the material offers a sleek and contemporary finish.

INSPIRATION EVERYWHERE

London has been a hive of creativity the last week with London Fashion Week, London Design Festival and new windows. This week’s post brings you a round up from different forms of inspiration.

The opening of Shoe Heaven at Harrods saw the windows transform into cloud 9, with soft textures and atmospheric lighting making the windows truly glow. The mannequins were all dressed the same with the shoes being the hero product. Interactive windows also feature reinforcing the campaign via social media platforms.

Harvey Nichols (Sloane Street) windows showcase Denim product. Collaborating with Textile Artist Amy Sellers, who’s multi layered photo-real patchwork pieces that concertina throughout the windows creating a digital repeat. The artwork features tonal shades reflecting denim colour-ways and textures.

All White: Tonal whites made up from different materials/lighting. My fav is the origami wallpaper, which is all hand-folded and has the most amazing details.

REGENTS STREET WINDOWS PROJECT 2014

This week saw the unveiling of this year RIBA Windows Project; here are a few of hmvm’s standout installations.

Fluidity of linear repeats featured at Topshop, Longchamp, Gant, Banana Republic, Karen Millen and Hackett.

Other stand out windows this week:
Story telling at JCrew textured back wall linking into the campaign message on the window, rich autumnal colourways.

Wall branding at Size – using associated props to create texture.

Moschino = Fantastically playful.

HM: What current projects are you working?

SFD: We have teamed up with London Design Festival as one of this year’s partners, showcasing the work of Set Designer Lauren O’Hara. Collaborating with young talent is a key statement to make sure our industry keeps evolving. We are exploring the concept of combining the elements of set design, art and retail to transform ‘The Space’ into a creative hub of inspiration.

HM: Where do you see the future of retail design in-store and windows?

SFD: Everyday its changing and evolving, with the industry being so heavily trend driven we feel that the future will comprise of 2 elements: firstly technology the continuation of the digital era. However we feel this has to be developed and refined more for the industry to understand how to use and implement it in a practical way, which holds a purpose. Retailers can be more experimental with the ways in which technology is used to interact with its customers, its presence is more important than ever to engage with the new generation of consumer. Secondly the future will see the re-emergence of theatre in our stores. Bringing the drama back to the high street with creative spaces. It’s that fine line to understanding the relationship between art/design direction/ technology and social media.

NEW SEASON

With the last bits of sale out the way, new season windows have dropped in the past few weeks. So here’s a round up of what’s in London at the moment.

Up up and away with this fantastic use of product and prop at Smythsons.

Artist illustrations enable every detail to be shown, love the use of the faces at Schuller Opticians to display glasses while Holstem focuses on the intricate details of shoemakers with these fantastic pencil sketches on wood and leather, which make for an interesting surface to sketch on.

Foam shapes are adapted and sculpted into human forms at DSM.

Bag details at Moschino

Nike’s dramatic schemes capture the movement within the display.

2.D: Vinyl shapes, hand illustrated stands and 2.D cut-outs to create flat texture.

Lighting: Amazing use of lighting creating statement illumination on a variety of stands.

Stand Space: Great locations were used for the exhibition; church crypts were used to display contemporary furniture, the architecture and the product had an amazing juxtaposition together.

This week VM round up:

Oversized Metallic balloons at Fendi, while Jo Malone has enlarged bright dip-dye tassels.

Full size Hermes horse has been wrapped and constructed with iconic brand scarves, love the detail and pattern the product creates.

Window collaboration at Liberty with the current Matisse Cut-Outs exhibition at the Tate. Decorative paper props are art pieces in themselves.

An ever evolving and changing store space with social elements like the Fernandez & Wells café and art installations dotted around the store by local, upcoming artists. Especially love the jukebox in the café, great interactive feature. It’s defiantly the ultimate meeting place where the world of shopping and social can mix.

Brand Repetition

Product focus is key with individual placement as well as multiples, with some retailers highlighting their brand with in-store displays. (Adidas, Camper, Coach, Acne, Flight 23)