Macy’s Makes Wearing Red Look (and Feel) Good

It’s February already. Can you believe it? Good things are on their way to us during this fine month--beyond just Groundhog Day. February is also American Heart Month, and today (February 5th) is National Wear Red Day. Why all the red? Well, heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in the United States, something that deserves our attention. The American Heart Association teams up with retailers throughout the country to help raise awareness about this preventable disease. Macy’s is entering its sixth year as sponsor of the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women campaign.

And they're spicing things up by offering the Little Red Dress, courtesy of INC International Concepts, as part of this campaign. From now through March 21, ladies can purchase a sassy (and hot!) red dress for $69. Ten percent of sales from each dress will be donated to the American Heart Association. Look hot and help a great cause?! You can’t beat it.

In addition, from Feb. 3-7, all Macy’s customers will receive a 20 percent discount when they come into the store wearing red. Customers can also make a $2 donation to the American Heart Association and receive their discount that way. They’ll also receive a Go Red For Women red lapel pin for their support of the cause.

To date, Macy's has raised more than $21 million for the American Heart Association. And that just makes my heart fill up with joy. Making money is good. Wearing hot clothes is fantastic. Making money for a good cause with hot clothes? Priceless.

Wear your red on Feb. 5 and e-mail your pictures to us. Did you buy the little red dress? Tell us about it here!

--Heather Strang

Bad Week to Be a Designer(y) Type

Ahh, the lot of the designer. At times, it seems like the coolest job in the world--as a German design master once famously said when asked why he chose the profession: "Well, it's a cool thing to tell people you do at dinner parties!"  But, then there are the times when such a hallowed badge of recognition is called into question. And it's been one of those weeks.

It all started when my brother sent me a link to this site, which started ostensibly as a really interesting article on the future of bike design (if you watch the video as I did)--until his true intentions were revealed when you scroll down to reach the comments on designers' plunging necklines. Michael Young is a DESIGN GOD, I thought, how dare people make fun of him!? That is until I also thought I was glad they didn't have Mark Newson's neckline on there.

Secondly, someone introduced me to Unhappy Hipsters. If you haven't checked it out yet, you should, because it's hilarious--until you realize, sort of 10 posts in, that, hey wait a minute, this is making fun of a magazine I read all the time! Actually, it's making fun of a house that I want to own, and people who want to own those type of houses...its making fun of people who work in my chosen field, because lots of us look like the people in these pictures...it's making fun of most of my clients...actually, I'm pretty sure one of these people is one of my clients...wait a minute... it's making fun of me!

Then there was the launch of the iPad--or more importantly, the media's response to it, with articles like this.

How dare people call into question the genius of this latest offering from Apple? And, more importantly, how dare they call into question the accompanying video where Jony Ive waxes lyrical about the design behind this thing?

This is important stuff. This is design! And should not be taken so lightly!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not about to change my stripes. Yes, the only clothes I will be packing for GlobalShop this year will be black. Yes, it is important to me what my coffee order sounds like. Yes, I notice people's cell phone model and the font on their business card. Yes, I walk the extra block for my copy of Wallpaper on the day it comes out every month. Yes, I know all the model numbers of every chair Arne Jacobsen designed. Yes, I peruse the bookshelves of people's houses for design books when I go over. And yes, I spend an inordinate amount of time considering the length and shape of my soul patch.

And yes...I'm ridiculous.

:)

A belated happy New Year to all...

--Christian Davies, Guest Blogger

Too Much Information

Last night I needed change to make a phone call. Okay, I do not own a cell phone, and yes, I know I am the last American alive to not have one. This is not a blog about cell phones or the importance of technology. I needed 25 cents to place a call, on a “real” phone, so I popped into a Rite Aide Pharmacy to purchase a Milky Way candy bar  (produced by Mars, the company, not the planet), which was a whopping $1.49 with 13 percent tax, a TOTAL of $1.62  I handed the cashier a $10 bill, and was given my change: $8.38. This is not a blog about how outrageous it is to charge $1.62 for a lousy candy bar. Put a candy bar in my mouth and I am good to go. I was totally on board, until I was handed my receipt. My receipt was 15 ¾ in. long! Let me state this again for emphasis… my receipt was 15 ¾ in. long! All I purchased was a rotten candy bar.

Now, I am all for “communicating with your customer,” but here is a synopsis of the information that Rite Aide deemed important to convey to me.

Name of store, logo and tag line… “With us, it’s personal.” I might beg to differ, but fine.

Store number, address (in case I want to send them a Valentine's card), their phone number, the register number, the transaction number, the cashier’s employee number, and the date and time of purchase. All pertinent information, if you are going to small claims court, or if the product is recalled by the manufacturer--rest assured, it is unlikely that any customer will be returning a candy bar for store credit or exchange.

Bar code of item.

Then an ampersanded box informing lucky me that I earned one ticket for the GAME OF LIFE (in caps)--I have no clue what that is.

Then there is a side note that tells me that “T” = “Taxable,” lest I question the charge on my receipt.

Then there is a 3 ¾ in. advertisement telling me that if I call their toll free number and tell them about their service, I will be entered to win $10,000. If I am deaf or mute, the TTD/TTY number is there, along with some Spanish instructions…“Disponible en Espanole, llame.” I just need to enter my 16-digit Entry Code. Then there are a few disclaimers, like I need to call in 14 days of receipt, and for official, i.e., expanded small print rules, there are a slew of more numbers to call.

Then (and I love this), there is another framed box reminding me that: "We’re Medicare experts, and I can ask the pharmacist for a FREE Medicare Prescription Plan Guide today.”

Hallelujah, then the info about “The Game of Life” (which is trademarked) instructions begins. In addition to the $10,000 grand prize, there are over 900,000 prizes instantly. I figure I am practically a shoe-in, take that Publisher’s Clearing House, who sent me a letter informing me that the $10 million grand prize had come to either me, or someone else, but I digress. Rite Aide reminded me that, in addition, if I purchase specially marked items I may receive even more tickets.

After reading that came the icing on the cake, because there was a reminder about their handy-dandy “Internet Refills at Riteaid.com.” But do not fret, if you do not have a computer, there’s a slew of more phone numbers, in addition to the general customer service number, and additional TTD/TTY number to call if you are a techno-phobe.

It took me about 20 seconds to eat my candy bar, and about 20 minutes to read my receipt. It was so exhausting that I might have worked off the 228 calories I consumed.

I’m sorry, but Rite Aid, this is way too much information. There was not one iota about what I purchased except its price. There was nothing on your receipt that improved my experience or helped me. It was all distractive nonsense. It was gimmicks! Yuck! If you're going to “communicate” with me, take a look at your receipts--they’re a big turn-off. I don’t need all that paper. It’s wasteful. It doesn’t embrace my values, which are more about conservation, sustainability and environmentalism. Your receipts make a candy bar complicated.

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

LPD Brings Eco-Conscious Retail Display Option

We’re fortunate to live in a time of great eco-consciousness. Every year, every month and every day, we are presented with opportunities to choose in favor of the Earth. From what we drink/eat out of, to what we drive, to the clothes we wear. Retailers are given the choice to do the same--even for large item display purposes. How cool is that?!

San Jose, Calif.-based Prysm recently launched a large format display technology using laser phosphor-based illumination technology. Say that three times fast. Or say LPD because that’s a lot easier. While I couldn’t speak to the technological ins and outs of this display unit, I do know that it consumes roughly 75 percent less power typically used by video wall or HDTV units.

And that makes me happy--which is why I’m sharing this with you! In addition, the LPDs are made with non-toxic materials, increasing the eco-likeability. (I just created that term; feel free to use it at will.)

It’s always fun to discover new products in the retail display world. Even better when said products allow us to be good to the Earth and lower our energy costs. Thanks LPD!

Know of other new, cool technologies that are eco-friendly? Tell us about them here.

--Heather Strang

Retailers Support Haitian Relief Efforts

When disaster strikes, we all want to help. The 7.0 earthquake that devastated Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, has brought people from all over the world together to support those who have been affected by this natural disaster. Retailers everywhere are stepping up to be part of the massive outpouring of support for the Haitian people.

And while it can be difficult to know where to send money when a tragedy of this magnitude strikes, it’s been heartening to see major retailers create their own vehicles for aiding the Haitian relief effort, as well as joining forces with Mercy Corps, the American Red Cross and non-profits such as Soles4Souls.

Zico Beverages donated more than 10,000 cases of coconut water to both survivors and relief workers. With a major disaster such as this, clean water, hydration and sanitation are paramount. Following that theme, the PepsiCo Foundation donated $1 million, as well as provided Quaker products, bottled water and Gatorade to earthquake victims. Coca-Cola Co. also donated $1 million to the American Red Cross efforts in Haiti, and bottled water and other drinks. Publix Super Markets charities donated $100,000 each, and the Wal-Mart Foundation donated $600,000.

Outside of food retailers, fashion brand Carmen Steffens pledged 50 percent of sales from Jan. 14-Jan. 20 to the Red Cross Haitian Relief and Development Fund, and Avon donated $1 million, with $500,000 going to the American Red Cross and $500,000 going to Doctors Without Borders. Sandals Foundation, a division of Sandals Resorts International, set up their own fund to support relief efforts, with donations accepted online and on-site at all locations. Soles4Souls, a well-known shoe charity, has teamed up with several retailers, including Foot Solutions, to take in donated shoes for victims of the quake.

Individually, these efforts are noteworthy; together they speak volumes about the human spirit and what is possible when we all work together for a common purpose.

For those of us looking to do what we can for relief efforts individually, the American Red Cross has made good use of cell technology by allowing folks to donate $10 by texting “HAITI” to 90999. And Amazon.com added a box on its home page so visitors can donate funds via Mercy Corps for Haiti relief.

Do you know of other retailers having an impact on relief efforts? If so, leave your comments here.

--Heather Strang

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Shopping (But Were Afraid to Ask)

In 1969, "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid to Ask)," by Dr. David Reuben, was the book that my parents hid under the mattress, but that I could secretly linger at in the South Orange Public Library, as long as the librarian didn’t shoo me away. Regardless, it was one of the most successful books on the New York Times Best Sellers list, and sold more than 150 million copies, and was even made into a film by Woody Allen. (Although I don’t recollect a chapter on marrying your step-daughter.)
 
To me, shopping is like sex. There is good shopping, and not good shopping. Shopping can be recreational, entertaining or a chore. Rest assured, sometimes even I don’t want to shop…I really do have a headache. I think of myself as a part of the shopping revolution. I have a healthy shopping libido.
 
I know you can’t judge a store by its size (even if your name is Bed, Bath & Beyond or Office Max). Still, I think that I’d rather test out a new department store than some dinky specialty retailer. Those are just the facts--call me old fashioned.
 
I’ll admit it. I am not a monogamous shopper. I shop around, but I don’t have a bad reputation, and I invariably come back to my devoted and dedicated--you know who you are. After all, it’s not like we’re engaged, or I have one of your charge cards.
 
I firmly believe in safe shopping, that is, not heading into Saks Fifth Avenue with a credit card--otherwise you maybe come out with a shopping transmitted disease like Nordsromitis or Bergdorf Goodman’s Ailment. There is no antibiotic or treatment on the market for that yet. But don’t use me, I don’t want to get shopped! While I’ve never engaged in retail prostitution, I know that Forever 21 fulfills a need for shopaholics, and I won’t judge, I just wish they would make it legal.
 
Yes, we all love a pretty boy or a sexy girl, but mannequins are only skin deep. Still, I’ll confide, a well dressed window does get me going. That’s why I believe that aphrodisiacs really work, providing they are 50-percent-off sales signs and shopping incentives if you are a preferred shopper, which I usually am.
 
All I know is that something does come over you, a flushed faint feeling, when you try on a pair of jeans and they fit just right. I mean, I nearly fainted once in Diesel when the new washes came in. I may not have done a Meg Ryan, but oh my god! OH MY GOD, YES, YES!!! I’ll have a pair of those.

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

Iced Coffee Makes a Winter Return, Thanks to…Twitter?

With temperatures dipping to ridiculously cold lows these days, it’s tough to get excited about iced anything. But, Dunkin' Donuts has other ideas in mind. The coffee giant is convinced that what we really need right now is more ice. On Jan. 11, Dunkin' Donuts, or DD as it's called by loyal fans, launched a new social networking campaign to put the ice back in coffee – winter be damned.

The hip, tech-savvy campaign utilizes two of the biggest social networking means available: Twitter and Facebook. Participants can go to: http://twitter.com/DunkinDonuts to follow what Dunkin' Donuts is branding as “Twinter Games.” Ah, so cute. The games consist of the following:

-Jan. 11-15 followers are asked to describe the perfect iced coffee in three words or fewer.

-Jan. 18-22 is set aside for participants to share how they like their iced coffee prepared.

-Jan. 25-29 asks followers to include a coffee reference as a take off of a famous quote, song or movie line. I wonder if, “Make my iced coffee,” would qualify. Hmm…You can totally use it if you want – I won’t come after you if you win.

Winners receive $50 Dunkin' Donuts gift cards. Not bad for a few minutes spent on Twitter.

The Facebook campaign is titled “YeDDi of the Week” and is found at: http://www.facebook.com/dunkindonuts. The contest encourages Facebook fans to post a picture of themselves with their iced coffee to win the title of “YeDDi of the Week.” I’m not sure why it’s “YeDDi,” but in the company press release, Dunkin' references that the title pays “homage to the infamous yeti (also known as sasquatch, big foot and the abominable snowman).” A bit of a stretch, but clever nonetheless.

Dunkin' Donuts has done an amazing job getting fans to show their DD love, and rewards them with prizes. These aren’t just boring marketing contests, they are cleverly thought out ways to build excitement and get folks more involved in the Dunkin' Donuts brand. You can’t be mad at that.

And if it wasn’t 30 degrees right now, I might be all for it. But, right now all I can think about is getting warm. So, until then, I’ll wait for a hot food/drink contest.

What about you? Will you participate in the iced coffee contests? Have you already? Leave your comments here!

-Heather Strang

P.S. I’m back! After a long hiatus, I’ve returned to write weekly blogs for DDI. I’m thrilled and can’t wait to connect with you! Leave a shout-out here or e-mail me to reconnect. Send your blog ideas my way. What would you like to see written on Retail Design Diva?

I'm Down with Retail

It used to be that if you said “Down with Love,” it meant that you were against it--like saying, “Down with War!” or “Down with Tyranny!" But today, to be “down” with something, means just the opposite. To be “down with something” means that you’re for it, in accord with it--as in “I’m down with that.” Not that a tyranny is an altogether bad thing, but I must confess…I’m down with retail, down with visual merchandising, down with mannequins, down with sales and down with shopping.

Santa should be proud of himself. While all the figures aren’t in yet, most reports conclude that this year's holiday season showed a modest increase in sales over last year. I predict it will be just over 3 percent when all the quarterly reports come in. This is quite an accomplishment, as last year was a disaster (one of the worst in decades), and everything was reduced to ridiculously low-prices in order to produce any sales at all. While sales of flatscreens and Zhou-zhous helped to get a lot of customers through the doors, consumers bought from a wide variety of merchandise categories, especially electronics. Note to retailers…things like gameboys, Wiis and interactive games were hot items. (FYI: $9.3 billion was spent last year on entertainment-technology-related games, more than the take at the Hollywood box office.) Jewelry  was up 7%, and even luxury goods rose (up 5% to 6%). The only category that seemed to do poorer than expected was clothing (down 2%). Well, you can only carry so much home. Not surprisingly, online sales were astronomical, if you consider that sales were up almost 18%.
 
Retailers for the most part looked ready, the holiday trim was up (some in early October), the storefronts were dressed to the hilt, and the sales floors were sharp as a tack, with knock-down tables featuring great buys, stocking stuffers and a plentiful supply of wrapped and ready merchandise. Even Mother Nature complied, blanketing most of the country with snow to place us in the holiday spirit and help move overcoats, scarves and mittens. I know that the stores looked great because all the trim came down last week, and it make me feel depressed--the stores looks sad, almost melancholy.
 
Shopping seemed fun, albeit stressful, and the mood in the malls was positive. Maybe it was all the cheerful TV advertising like the (wink and nod) single unattached female who is training for her shopping sprees at Target, just like an Olympian; or the mom who shops at Wal-Mart (where she doesn’t have to comparison shop because prices are already so low) so that she can spend more time at home watching TV with her kids. Regardless, there was a spate of commercials that gave us chuckle, or warmed our hearts.
 
Will retailers breathe a sigh of relief? TBD. Anyway, I proclaim…"I’m down with retail!”

P.S. Stats/figures came from the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and “RenGen” by Patricia Martin.

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

Hooray for The Great Save!

Target has outdone itself again. Combining two of my favorite things--Target merchandise and warehouse-club savings--the retailer has launched an event dubbed "The Great Save," which will feature good deals on a variety of  products, bulk-packaged items and designer brands in a warehouse-club-like setting--minus the nuisance of membership fees or ID cards.

Running from Jan. 3 through Feb. 21 in 1,000 Target stores across the country, The Great Save will offer a value-driven club experience--with a variety of affordable products and bulk-packaged items ranging from paper towels and granola bars to T-shirts and bath towels--as well as designer brands not typically carried in-store, including apparel and home décor. Target will showcase all products offered through The Great Save in one central location in each store, making for maximum shopping efficiency!

The only downside: products offered through The Great Save will be limited in quantity and may vary by store location. So, if I want the best bargains, I'm going to need to act fast. However, some products also will be available at Target.com.

Now, I don't know about you, but I already spend way too much time in Target. I can spend countless hours shopping their aisles and never tire of the great steals I find. And now with The Great Save event going on, I foresee lots more time I'm going to need to set aside for a Target shopping trip. At this rate, I should have my own permanent parking spot in no time.

--Jessie Bove

Attack of the Kiosks

I had a feeling those Blockbuster DVD rental kiosks were no good--and I was right. It all started when I began seeing these blue-box vending machines pop up in my neighborhood stores awhile back. For weeks, I debated the pros and cons of renting from a kiosk versus an actual store. I could see the appeal of kiosks, with their cheaper rates, self-serve efficiency and one-stop-shop accessibility. The cons--limited capacity, smaller range of films, etc.--seemed minimal. Reluctant as I was, I finally broke down one day and gave a kiosk at my neighborhood Publix a try.

Renting the DVD was easy enough, but the result was disappointing. Once I got the DVD home, I collected my snacks, changed into movie-watching garb, and hopped onto the couch ready for entertainment. But plans were foiled. All I got was a messed up DVD that skipped and froze, and ultimately wouldn't play. I couldn't even get passed the opening credits before the movie called it quits. Upon inspection, I realized this DVD wasn't dirty, it was destroyed. The bottom looked like it had been attacked by rabid cats.

Suffice it to say, I was angry. Angry that this piece of junk was worthless. Angry that my movie night was ruined. Angry that there was no one I could take the DVD back to for a refund or exchange. And angry, mostly, that I had rented from that stupid kiosk in the first place.

From now on, I'll stick to watching my movies On-Demand. 

--Jessie Bove

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

The Retail Design Diva wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! She'll be back next week with plenty of blogging to make up for it.

Not in My Back Yard

I live on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Two blocks off of Central Park, three blocks off of Riverside Park. The Upper West Side has long been the bastion of the upper-middle class, yuppies, left-wing radicals, intellectuals and therapy-practicing New Yorkers. It is a neighborhood filled with Glatt Kosher Pizza, and even Glatt Kosher Chinese takeout. It’s the neighborhood where Edgar Allen Poe wrote “The Raven,” when he lived on West 84th Street in an old dilapidated farmhouse. Add to the mix an amalgam of the long-entrenched Latino community, Section 8 projects, SROs, hostels for European tourists, and even the “Days Inn”(a budget hotel) where Governor Patterson brought his mistress. Yes, I fit in just like a glove. We have Starbucks galore, Dunkin' Donuts, Duane Reade, Rite Aid, and so many banks that Ben Bernanke couldn’t decide what ATM to use first. It’s just a slice of paradise.

Well, you hear stories of those snooty neighborhoods where “decent” families don’t want sex clubs, electric towers, homeless shelters or sanitation plants, and you think, “Who do they think they are?”  Yesterday the craft paper came down from the building across the street (from my part-time doorman building), which has been vacant for ages, and what is going to be there (gasp!)--a blue tongued Slurpee emporium, also known as 7-Eleven. Not in my backyard! I admit it! I am a snob. I think 7-Eleven is great if you live near the interstate or off of an exit on the freeway, but not on Amsterdam Avenue.

Granted, 7-Eleven has made some concessions, the façade is being clad in white marble tile, and I noted that the ceilings have been trimmed with a faux dentil crown molding as thick and obvious as the molding on the Emery Roth landmarked “Westwind” building catty corner from the new 7-Eleven. Other unexpected flourishes include enhanced lighting (not your standard fluorescent and neon) and better flooring, i.e., not gray linoleum. I’m not impressed. I can already see the “Little Debbie” cake displays artfully framing the auto and adult magazine racks.

7-Eleven is planning on opening up 100 stores in the next five years in Manhattan, either by executing new leases or through its business conversion program. The company is looking for sites from 1,700 sq. ft. to 3,500 sq. ft., in high foot-traffic locations that allow for 24-hour operation.

Gone is “Little Extras,” a charming children’s clothing and toy store that was in the same spot for over 25 years. If I open my kitchen window and smell chili dogs I’m going to take matters into my own hands and secure the next lease opposite Mike Bloomberg’s home on East 79th Street (between Madison and Fifth).

Okay, to be fair and balanced, I did visit the company Web site (www.7-eleven.com) and did find their “Fun Facts” page very informative and impressive, but I miss my independent retailers and family-owned businesses. When will America get wise? Coke or Pepsi is not a choice!

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

Here Comes Santa Claws

You gotta love a retailer like PetSmart, which really gets into the holiday spirit with plenty of charitable events and fundraisers. My favorite, dog lover that I am, is their annual in-store charity photo event. Dubbed "Santa Claws" this year, the event lets pet parents bring their dogs (and cats for those who favor felines) into the store to pose for photos with Santa. And of course, a holiday photo session wouldn't be complete without all the completely ridiculous and adorable outfits--think Santa or Mrs. Claus costumes, hats, reindeer antlers, elf uniforms, jingling bells and festive sweaters.

The photo event takes place the first three weekends in December on Saturday and Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 4 pm. in PetSmart stores across the country. Santa Claws photo packages are available for $9.95 with a PetPerks card, and $5 from each package benefits a local PetSmart Charities adoption partner. The photo package includes one 4x6 digital photo of pets with Santa and an exclusive holiday frame.This weekend will be your last chance to stop by and donate to the cause. (For more specifics on store locations and hours, visit www.petsmart.com.)

Nothing says Happy Holidays like helping those in need--even if they happen to be fur-covered. What charities top your list of holiday donations? Tell us here!

--Jessie Bove

The Diva Heads to NYC!

That's right, the Retail Design Diva will be in New York City for the annual market week. Diva will be busy busy busy--judging holiday windows, visiting visual showrooms, hosting a session at NADI's Retail Design Collective, presenting awards at the PAVE Gala, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Speaking of icebergs, Diva hopes it's not too terribly cold while she's there--after all she is a southern gal. (But just in case, she's already plotting how many cute winter boots she can cram in her suitcase before exceeding the 50-lbs. limit.)

Diva's schedule is jam-packed, but she's still planning on scouting new stores (squeezing in a little shopping, in the name of research of course) and seeing the best new store designs in the city (check out this nifty NYC Retail Map highlighting new retail to see in New York). 

With all the excitement set for the week, Diva felt compelled to compile a list of the main things she is most looking forward to.

Retail Design Diva's Top Five Favorite Things for Market Week This Year:

1) Windows, windows, windows! Diva will be out and about all over Manhattan, scouring the holiday windows from Dec. 7-8. She cannot wait to see the magical displays and get in the holiday spirit!

2) Presenting a conference session to kick off NADI's Retail Design Collective. DDI Magazine Executive Editor Alison Embrey Medina will moderate the session, "Winning Windows: Creating Excitement for Your Stores from the Outside In," on Dec. 9 from 9:30 a.m.-11 a.m. at 7W New York, the show's new headquarters.

3) The 13th Annual PAVE Gala on Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. A fabulous venue--the Metropolitan Pavilion at 125 W. 18th St.--mixed with cocktails and cuisine, industry mingling and an excuse to dress up. And let's not forget the presentation of DDI's Winning Windows Awards. Three outstanding retailers will be recognized for their visual merchandising excellence displayed through their holiday windows. Will your favorite win? Check out www.ddimagazine.com on Thursday morning, Dec. 10, to see the winners!

4) Visual showrooms. From the new showrooms in 7W New York to the classic mainstays on West 25th Street and all the others in between, Diva is pumped to see the latest and greatest in visual--and she'll be keeping an eye out for the showrooms with the most wow-factor. The top three contenders will win Outstanding Showroom awards from DDI Magazine.

5) And lastly, Rockefeller Center. Because Diva LOVES Anthropologie and can never get enough Dean & Deluca. Oh, and they have a pretty cool Christmas tree, too. But no ice-skating allowed--Diva does not want to break an ankle and get stuck with a cast for the holidays--it would NOT match her New Year's Eve dress

Hope you enjoy the annual market week, Diva knows she will!

--Diva

Give Thanks

Some of my ancestors came to America on the second or third sailing of the Mayflower. Little known fact, but the Mayflower made several voyages. Knowing my family, I presume my relatives didn’t board ship until they were relatively confident that things were okay over here. I mean, if you were my relative, would you go to a new country that didn’t have at least one strip mall? We all know from our grade school pageants that the Pilgrims, who were escaping religious persecution, were for the most part not a very celebratory group of people. Still, thanks to some generous Native Americans who probably could not make too much sense of these awfully strange people, we do have a fairly engrained custom of sharing our dinner table once a year, and the communal experience of sharing food along with expressing thanks. All in all, a lovely holiday custom.
 
Lest I be accused of being Suzie cheerleader, we all know that, while we’re all struggling, the economy has not gotten worse, and things seems to be on the mend, albeit slowly. Certainly things are far rosier today than they were for our ancestors.
 
What are we seeing that denotes positive, if not praiseworthy, thanks?
 
The market seems to be correcting itself. Retailers that overbuilt are scaling back to reasonable and realistic numbers
 
Retailers eager to expand are benefiting from finding space in better neighborhoods with more affordable rents.
 
In an effort to survive, smart retailers are reinventing themselves. They may look leaner, but they’re operating more efficiently.
 
Consumers have learned a valuable lesson, not everyone should be in the luxury market, and not everyone needs the most expensive this or overpriced that. We can get by with less and our happiness is not really sacrificed. Mid-range and low-range retailers like Zara and American Apparel are fashionable and hip.
 
Visual Merchandisers have had to work more magic with smaller budgets and create displays that are visually exciting, clever and communicate more clearly to the customer. It doesn’t matter if you’re Bergdorf Goodman or Anthropologie; everyone is “upping their game.”
 
Like comfort food, many consumers are revisiting old friends, mainstays that are classic, whether it’s J. Crew or Campbell soup or Levi’s or Wheaties.
 
Consumers are still purchasing, but not the same way--they’re cost-comparing, researching product online prior to purchase, and more likely to pick up an accessory than a new piece of clothing. Last year’s coat with this year's scarf works just as well, which is why I’m going to H&M to get that groovy gray knit neck ring.
 
Across the board retailers are becoming more attentive to servicing the customer. You may find this hard to believe but the security guard at Versace actually smiled at me!

Granted, we can all complain, and have just cause, but can you imagine what the Pilgrims would make of our wealth and abundance?

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

 

NYC Holiday Window Sneak Peak

First there was the Titanic, then came “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians” (1964), arguably one of the all-time worst movies ever made. Pour me some instant Swiss Miss, and curl up on the couch, I love a trashy Christmas film.

Well, Santa may have conquered the Martians, but Main Street is another matter all together. Americans too might be more like Martians than we care to admit. We too can be petty, have unreasonable expectations and want more than Santa can readily provide. So, we look to retailers to be our Santa Clauses. Just like Santa on Mars, retailers are doing their level best. Weeks before Thanksgiving, holiday windows in New York were beginning to pop up. With trusty camera in hand, I’ve taken a few quick shots to show you just how fun, joyful and elegant this year's Christmas promises to be, thanks to great retailers!

Click here to view a full slideshow of the photos.


In case you are interested, here’s a synopsis of the movie mentioned above: The citizens of Mars, including Momar ("Mom Martian") and Kimar ("King Martian") are worried that their children Girmar ("Girl Martian") played by Pia Zadora, who in an interesting casting note is actually Martian, and Bomar ("Boy Martian") are watching way too much Earth television. (Just like my mom, who warned that if I sat too close to the TV, I would get radiation poisoning--thanks mom!) There’s no Dr. Spock, or even a Dr. Phil on Mars, only an 800-year-old Martian, Chochem, who warns that the children of Mars are growing robotized due to Martian society's overly rigid structure (after all, their education is fed directly into their brains through creepy machines… just like at my grade school), so Martian children  are not allowed any individuality or freedom of thought. Cochem advises that children should be allowed to have fun (gasp!), which is as close to heresy on Mars as you can get. Regardless, the Martians figure that the best way to remedy the situation  is to kidnap Santa Claus (and a few pesky Earth children), and bring them to Mars to make toys for the children of Mars.

When they arrive (bound and gagged,) Santa is forced to work in a Martian factory to make toys for the little green children. (Yes, with antenna.) This is where Santa introduces a “Slinky “ to the Martians, who you would think, considering their technology, would know what a coil is. But I digress. The factory is like a Louis Vuitton sweat shop in China, lead paint not included. Let’s just say that despite the adduction, the Martians are not too fond of Santa, they try to kill him, and the Earth kids, sabotage the factory, ruin the toys, treat him like dirt, and are otherwise not too friendly. After much plodding intrigue, a little Stockholm Syndrome in Santa, and some lousy musical numbers, the Martians realize that they don’t need our Santa, they have their own lame-o version, that’s right, a knock-off on Mars. (Stay away Chanel!) Anyway,  Santa and company are sent back to earth…with a thud!

Sample Dialogue: “No siree! We're going out the good ol' fashioned way. Prancer and Dancer and Doner and Blitzen, and Vixon and Nixon... oh, consarnit I get those names mixed up, but the KIDS know their names.”--Santa Claus

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

A Recession Is a Terrible Thing to Waste

The quote heading this piece is one that has been floating around throughout this long, dark annus horribilis that we find ourselves in--and for a while it thoroughly irked me. It seemed insensitive at best, gratingly, head-in-the-sand optimistic at worst. But as the year has slogged on, I've kind of gotten the point.

From seeing friends and family in the depths of despair at being laid off in the early part of the year, I've been struck by how many of these bright, brilliant people have reinvented themselves--found new jobs, recast themselves or finally been given the push they needed to pursue that one thing they always wanted to do. And not in some dreary making lemons from lemonade way, but honestly doing something that is better for them than their previous situation--and a move they perhaps didn't even realize they needed to make.

We all know there are still so many out there for whom this is not yet the case. But in the dark we find ourselves in, this has seemed like a spark, and perhaps a spark that is gaining some momentum.

Before I get too rah-rah carried away, I should point out I was born a card-carrying member of the Global Pessimists Society with perhaps even a bona fide shot at being the President of said illustrious group someday. I'm someone for whom the glass isn't just half empty--I'm invariably convinced someone has slipped something into what's left of my drink. And yet, while we pessimists do go through life rarely being disappointed, that small perk is overshadowed by the benefits of a little optimism in a year like this. And the mood does seem to be turning. At a recent design conference I attended, the global schadenfreude that seemed to be all the rage just a few months back was clearly replaced with something else--a sense of community, of empathy, even of humility. And remember, I'm talking about designers here, not exactly a group known for any of the above.

So, it is with this new found spirit in mind that I've been giddy with excitement at the rash of brands grabbing this recession thing firmly by the horns and actually DOING SOMETHING!!! In one week, Burger King AND Disney announced ambitious new plans for their environments. Banana launching a new look that has been way too long in coming and folks like Tommy Hilfiger gracing the pages of DDI Magazine with a shiny new flagship. Hell, even Wal-Mart is rolling with a new look! This is by no means a normal year, but each of these efforts, and so very many more, must be applauded. Call it what you will: chutzpah, gumption, spirit or maybe good old...well...balls, but there's something going on out there and the benefits are starting to be felt.

Last December, it was my privilege to give a talk at the ICSC conference in Phoenix. And a lovely event it was too, despite the oddities of carol singers and a big Christmas Tree on the front lawn on a 75 degree, blue sky day when I pulled up in my cab. Anyway, I finished the speech with a quote that I think rings even more true here almost a year later. I lay no claim to this missive, the prescience here belongs solely to the guy that came up with it. But reading it again, I was struck by how much it feels dead-on for right now.

"Even with financial meltdowns and other doom and gloom dominating the news, there is plenty of opportunity to delight, to care for, and to offer excellent service to consumers. The impetus to innovate really is every recession's silver lining."
--Reinier Evers, Trendwatching.com

Hopefully this reflects something that is going on out there in retail land. And if that is the case, perhaps, just perhaps, our annus horribilis can cede gracefully to an annus mirabilis to come.

--Christian Davies, Guest Blogger

Is Christmas Coming This Year?

  "Christmas Isn’t Coming This Year," is a 1966 cult classic film directed by actor, Rossano Brazzi, starring Paul Tripp (also the scriptwriter). The beloved Tripp was the host of “Birthday House,” a kid’s show where you could have your birthday on TV. (Which yes, my mother would not write a letter for me because she thought it was too ostentatious, no sour grapes!) On the face of it, it’s just a cheesy Italian film, poorly dubbed, but it used to air on TV, and became a holiday classic. The only thing the film is missing is Pia Zadora as a Martian child.
 
Practically ripped from today’s headlines, the film remains frightening apropos. Tripp plays Sam Whipple (no relation to Charmin), an attorney in Once-Upon-A-Time-Land (although I never thought of elves as being especially litigious), who is startled to receive a visit from Santa Claus shortly before Christmas. It seems that when Sam was a child, he wrote a letter thanking Santa for the presents he'd received, and offering to return the favor someday. (Sweet, I never sent a thank you!) Well, that day is now! A mean old landlord named Phineas Prune, who holds the deed to the North Pole, is demanding the back rent. (Santa a deadbeat? Note to Santa, refinance!) Otherwise, Prune is going to evict Santa, Mrs. Claus and the jolly elves to the curb, and take all the Christmas toys as collateral. A despondent Santa confides to Whipple that, “It looks like Christmas isn’t coming this year.” Face facts, in December Santa is cash poor. Quicker than you can say Fannie Mae, Whipple takes matter into his hands and just in the (saint) nick of time.
 
Well, across America there are eerily similar stories being played out, not just by homeowners, but especially by retailers who overbuilt stores, and some in locations where they knew there was inadequate business to sustain them. They too are being kicked to the curb. With easy financing, high interest rates and loans approved without due diligence, it was a real estate free for all. Now we’re paying the price.
 
Complicating matters, more people are making their purchases online, rather than standing in line. With the frantic 911 response to last holiday's dismal sales, retailers spoiled us with doorbusters, giveaways and insanely reduced prices creating a discount mania--if it wasn’t marked down 80 percent, customers walked away. Other customers quickly learned to buy late, and buy cheep. Post-holiday season, customers realized that they could get by with less, and that another gray cashmere sweater wasn’t a priority.
 
Anticipating this trend, retailers are starting the holiday season sooner. Traditionally in the United States, Christmas officially started the day after Thanksgiving. Customers will complain that Christmas is coming too early, and that it’s a turn-off. Personally, I love it. By the way, in Europe, where there is no Thanksgiving, retailers starting installing Christmas ages ago. (FYI: Here’s a historical factoid, in the United States, Thanksgiving traditionally fell the last Thursday of November, by proclamation of Abraham Lincoln. Retailers in 1939 asked President Roosevelt to move it up a week to extend the buying season during the Great Depression to help beef up sales, and there it has remained.)
 

Personally, without being too Jerry Hermanish, I think “We Need A Little Christmas.” What harm comes from some bright red bengaline, a holiday bough, some flickering B lights and some suggestion of hearth and home? Holiday time is about giving, not buying. Retailers are doing their best to give us a great holiday experience, let’s not be Scrooges. Christmas is coming this year!

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

I’m Dreaming of an eChristmas

I’ve always been one to do ALL of her shopping online. There’s just something vastly appealing about the ability to get my errands done in a timely fashion while still donning my fuzzy slippers, watching the latest episode of House and sipping on a cup of tea. (Then again, I’m someone who would rather eat cereal for dinner than have to go the grocery store during peak after-work shopping hours and deal with crowds and parking lots reminiscent of a war zone.) Multiply this sentiment by a million (at least) during the holiday rush.

It doesn’t surprise me to see that Shop.org's latest research found that more consumers would be looking to the e-side of commerce this holiday. According to the report, over a quarter (26.7 percent) plan to increase their online shopping budget this year to take advantage of free shipping (33.1 percent) and compare prices (34 percent). But is this news really all that surprising?

Like seasons past, and like many other consumers this holiday, I’ll be looking to the Web to conduct much of my holiday gift getting. And although I will be “sticking to the budget” and keeping an eye on all my invoice totals like the majority of consumers, I know that I too will succumb to spending more to qualify for free shipping, buy-one-get-one and online-only offers in order to seemingly stretch my dollars a bit more.

But I have to ask: Will social media really entice consumers to shop where they normally wouldn’t? Shop.org’s research shows that approximately 60 percent of retailers have already made updates to their social media pages, such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as blogs and RSS, in hopes of driving purchases. I hate to say it retailers, but while such updates may help advertise discounts, for me, these enhancements will most likely go unnoticed.

When push comes to shove, I’m going to purchase the item of the highest quality my budget can afford—regardless of the retailer. And if that means countless hours on Google comparing prices, or even resorting to bidding wars on eBay, so be it.

-- Stacy Straczynski

The Kiss of the Spider Woman

She hung above the pavement like a goddess. She seamless floated magically into the night. She was a Spider Woman. It was Halloween on Fifth Avenue. There was not a trick-or-treater on the street.

 

Some retailer’s actually understand their customer and understand the product they sell; most retailers, unfortunately, do not have a clue. Halloween has come and gone. Most feeble retailers did the same thing they did last year, and the year before, and the year before that.

Does this sound familiar? It did not matter if you sold fine jewelry or hardware. It did not matter if you sold beautiful clothing or shampoo. The visual merchandising was identical--it included poorly strung cheep polyester spider webs criss-crossing windows with a heavier hand not seen since Bela Lugosi starred in Dracula (1931), interspersed were black paper cut-outs of witches in profile, skeletons and candelabras. Strung from monofilament were limp rubber bats, and lining piles of mismatched orange and black merchandise were plastic skulls with gory blood dripping down like a broken toilet pipe. You walked past, thought “yuck…ugly,” and longed for the days when you were a kid and Halloween was actually mystical and fun.

Bergdorf Goodman is not the kind of store you think of when you think of Halloween. They do not sell pirate outfits or slutty nurse uniforms. There are no candy bars in plastic pumpkins on their accessories counter. I doubt that a penny was even collected for UNICEF. (Now I’m dating myself!) Regardless, that did not stop them from doing Halloween better than every other store in New York City. This is a retailer who understands their customer, and understands their product. They have no equal! Their Halloween windows were beautiful, eerie and captured the puerile magic of Halloween. The windows are sinisterly titled, “Tales of Technology.”

Bergdorf Goodman, in a sinfully creative way, once again raised visual merchandising to an art form. While they had several great Halloween windows, one in particular featured a beautifully adorned mannequin in a golden sequined gown; she was ensnared (suspended) in a crystal Swarovski spider web. Her make-up was gaudy. Bergdorf visual merchandiser, and demi-god, David Hoey even saw that her nail polish matched the ruby red of her lips. Also tangled in this web was a golden scorpion broach so large and ostentatious that it begged to be purchased just for its grandiosity. If that was not enough, also tangled in this macabre scenario was the real pay-off, a bejeweled laptop reinforcing the metaphor of the “web.” BRILLIANT! The Internet, the World Wide Web has ensnared us, too. We are its victims. Bergdorf Goodman makes technology beautiful. If they can make a laptop glamorous, can you imagine what they can do for us mere mortals?

 

Okay, Bergdorf Goodman partnered with Dell Adamo to create this special series, which includes, one laptop in mother of pearl, another in laser-etched faux oriental red silk, and a tarot-like card that is done in faux ivory scrimshaw. I was green with envy; they are so stunning that I was ashamed of my laptop, which has a vinyl adhesive skin of Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” that I bought on eBay.

Okay, maybe you have no need for a golden gown or a jeweled broach, but everyone has a generic laptop that is not personalized, makes no statement and says nothing about you, the user. Bergdorf Goodman created a series of windows to feature their one-of-a-kind laptop skins that turn a perfunctory item into this year’s “must-have” glamour item--more deeply personal than your iPod, more beautiful than your best piece of jewelry. You may not be able to afford them, but no harm comes from visiting their Web site (www.bergdorfgoodman.com) to take look.

 

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

Top Photo: By Sindi Schorr © 2009

 

Misspelled Tattoo

It’s the time of the year when many retailers start hiring their holiday help. It used to be Christmas help, but now it’s just generic, politically correct, “holiday help.” God bless retailers everyone. Even with sales projections down by 1 percent from last year, retailers are still hoping that Santa will work his magic--but it’s difficult to trust the only man who lives in the Arctic and still drives a sleigh.
 
Well, just yesterday I was in one of my favorite retailers (I won’t mention their name) and I realized that there were temps (aka the lowest form of humanity on the retail hierarchy) all over the place. It was delightful. The holiday season has begun. I was asked if I needed help at least a dozen times over.
 
Now you know I’m a seasoned shopper, and I know this particular store especially well. I’m also obsessively compulsive as visual merchandisers are wont to be. I was in the men’s shoe department perusing a table of cordovan tasseled loafers, straightening up. The shoes were grossly out of alignment, by at least as much of a quarter of an inch, and it was driving me crazy. Anyway, carpe diem, I decided to take the opportunity to rearrange them by style and price point, which seemed perfectly reasonable to me. I looked just like I belonged on the sales floor, busy and officious. (FYI: I’d never pass this retailer’s psychological test, but I digress.) It was no surprise to me when a misguided tourist asked me where they could find the elevator. I barely got an “Ola” out of my mouth when a well-meaning holiday helper interrupted. I wouldn’t take issue, but he directed the customer towards the escalator thattakes you to “Juniors,” which is the next best thing to schizophrenia at this store. The mind reels!
 
As for standards in the great American retail landscape, despite the talent out there, some stores will hire anyone; you’d think they’d be more discriminating. Let me paint the picture…The holiday helper was all of 19 (maybe), with a Christen Soriano wispy boy coif, black channel polish on his pinky (only), chattering silver cuffs, a discrete amount of eyeliner and a tattoo poking out of the back of his neck that read “Only God juges me.”(Maybe he couldn’t read it, it was on the back of his neck, after all.) I was going to give him the benefit of the doubt, and accept “juges” sort of as in the way Carson Kressley of “Queer Eye For The Straight Guy” would “jujje” someone’s hair. But no, it was meant as in “judges,” to pronounce a declarative analysis of right or wrong, or good and bad.
 
So I will take his misspelled tattoo to heart and I will not “juge” him. As for God, I doubt he shops at this store; he always seemed more like a Nordstrom kind of guy to me.

 

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

Dawn of the Dead (Retail)

  So, it turns out my local, relatively recently deceased Circuit City is now a Halloween Store.

I noticed this driving by a couple of weeks back. At first, I put it down to some local entrepreneurial type taking advantage of what I always thought was a pretty good piece of real estate. But, as this article in the Boston Globe proves, it’s actually part of a more fiendish strategy. (Apologies in advance for any and all Halloween references throughout--'tis the season after all.) Now I was a pretty big fan of Circuit City in its later years. I liked the last few designs they put together, and thought they were truly trying to compete in the category by differentiating themselves through new store concepts. It was difficult to see them go, as it has been for a lot of retail in this latest round of economic woes. And yet, despite that seeming to be the final nail in the coffin, this latest incarnation gave me pause for thought. It's not just Circuit City--there are some great spaces out there right now. In fact, I just wandered by a Smith and Hawken the other day and thought, "Who's going to take that?" And if nobody has the need for a whole portfolio of properties, why not give them up to the opportunist? Okay, so it's not the greatest of retail designs--some of the merchandising is, frankly, a bit weird, and I have a sneaking suspicion the newly shrouded Circuit City disk isn't illuminated at night, lest the old logo shines through the pumpkin that replaced it. But that aside, for a few weeks at least there's been an event going on in my hood that feels like retail should feel-- impromptu, spontaneous and actually pretty fun. As the article puts it, Spirit--the company behind this little refit--has raised 83 of the Circuit City stores from the dead. Well, if not maybe raised them from the dead, perhaps breathed a little more life into what was starting to feel a bit like a graveyard.

Of course, every positive angle has a darker evil twin lurking in a closet just waiting to pounce. And this one is no exception, as it seems there is another side to this tale. Turns out these seasonal shops are putting a serious hurting on the year-round costume businesses that rely on Halloween for a big chunk of their annual revenue. And perhaps, justifiably, these stores can claim to be a part of their wider community for the 320 days of the year when Halloween shopping is not a big deal. In their words, the pop-ups "show up, make their money and leave." Spirit has countered these claims by citing the almost $1 million they have raised this year alone for children's hospitals in each of the communities they enter. Any thoughts on the good and evil around this particular story? Is this type of seasonal retail entering the mainstream? Or is it, as Paul Ivice wrote in the TC Palm, just another bloodsucker for mom-and-pop stores already under stress?

--Christian Davies, Guest Blogger

 

 

Swatch Out

My first watch was a Timex that my grandfather bought at the local drugstore when I was 12. You had to wind it up, but John Cameron Swayze said it was so reliable you could place it on the rudder of a speedboat, and drag it through the Florida Everglades, and “It would still take a licking, and keep on ticking.” It broke by the sixth grade.
 
The Swatch watch entered the market around 1983-1984, quickly catching on because it was fun, fashionable and affordable (less than $50). It was plastic, colorful and lightweight, adding to its distinctive appeal. It quickly became a “collectible.” I still have my original gray face/blue band Swatch that my neighbor, Gaby Jochnowitz,  bought me on El Al, when she was coming home from Israel where she was working on a Kibbutz.  I even kept the original case and sleeve instructions. It’s in mint condition (battery is dead), but all offers will be entertained.
 
The meaning of the name "Swatch" was a derivative of "Second Watch," because this new watch was usually the buyer’s secondary watch, it was practically a disposable accessory. However, another version of the story suggests that it is the contraction of Swiss (Made) Watch, hence, "S'Watch," soon becoming "Swatch" as it’s known today, but I digress…
 

Without any rebranding or remarketing goal, the Swatch store on Broadway and 44th Street just underwent a massive overhaul.  It’s a well-trodden location attracting locals and tourists. The store is beautifully executed. Kudos!
 
  There is at first the white-on-white interior with oversize graphics, usually done so cliché ridden and hackneyed, but I have to give it up to the designer--it’s really smartly pulled together, and the off whites are really rich in hue and intensity, so you can see the watches from across the street (Planet Hollywood).

The case lines are a series of undulating and interlocking shapes reminiscent of watch gears offered in differing heights, sizes and shapes, so that the floor can be set in any number of configurations, based on need, new product and altering the traffic pattern. It’s scathingly inventive. The case lines are relatively low to the ground so that the Swatches look more like museum pieces.

Wow, there are even soft foamy couches that hug the case lines for weary shoppers. Best of all are the oversize linear chandeliers that are not faceted with crystals, but instead have series of colorful Swatches dangling down like prisms. It’s just so simple and clever when you realize that a Swatch can make a groovy lampshade too. This is a really great store!
 
When I think of all the ways the store could have gone, when I think of all the ways designers create stores that fail to understand the product, let alone the customer, I have to say, Swatch seems to have done everything right.
 
P.S. The watches are still the best value in the world today!

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

Love On A Rooftop and Grape Jelly

Sometimes we really are dopes! Everywhere we look, the words “green” and “sustainability” filter into our consciousness…as well they should. We tend to think of ourselves as being superior to generations past, who we tend to think of as polluters. There may be some truth to that, but it’s not the whole story.
 
Retailers, listen up: I have a million-dollar idea for you! Okay, I didn’t actually think it up, but give me some credit.
 
Last night, I was watching the implausible 1968 TV sit-com “Love on A Rooftop,” starring the very cute Peter Duel as Dave, and even cuter Judy Carne (pre-“Laugh In”) as Julie. They’re a young, optimistic, newly married couple trying to get by on his miserly starting architect's salary of $68.50 a week. All they can afford to rent is an old storeroom (with no windows) on top of a high rise (no one else would rent it). By the way, it’s like a 30-story high rise with no elevator, but who cares, it’s the ‘60s, and they are young and in love, and, more importantly, happen to have access to the roof...hence “Love On A Rooftop,” where Julie uses the skylight as a table when she has company, and she hangs her laundry out to dry on the residents' TV antennas (very green).  Did I mention that the rooftop overlooks the Golden Gate Bridge?
 
Okay, so Dave is eating his breakfast when is overbearing father-in-law drops in and spots him eating peanut butter for breakfast, and bellows, “Why are you eating peanut butter…for breakfast?” “I eat peanut butter and jelly every morning,” replies Dave. “But, why?” protests his father-in-law. Dave, with his dimpled smile, plaintively states, “Well, we need the glasses, and Julie wants to complete the set!” The father-in-law is none too pleased that his baby (Julie) is drinking out of peanut butter and jelly glasses.
 
Like a repressed memory, the flood gates open, and I recall that when I grew up (in 1968, I was 11 years old), we always recycled our peanut butter and jelly glasses. We never threw them away. We kept them. They were not made of non-recyclable, benzene-ridden plastic with a screw-on lid; they were recyclable drinking glasses with a pop off cap. They were decorated with colorful prints of daises, “The Flintstones,” “Batman” and the Presidents of The United States (there were only 36 at the time). So not only did you get a jar of Welch’s grape jelly or Skippy peanut butter, but you had a reusable glass (for free!).  Less landfill! Less carbon footprint! Brilliant!
 
So food manufacturers, give consumers an incentive to buy your product, which is sitting quietly next to your competitors--give us free glasses. In today’s economy, who wouldn't want a pretty drinking glass, for free? Help us to recycle, reuse, renew. Okay, skip the corny old-fashioned commercial ties ins; instead, have some designer do a limited-edition jar. I’d pay twice the amount for a Burberry Plaid peanut butter glass, and maybe three times the amount for an Alexander McQueen grape jelly jar.

Ka-Ching! That’s the sound of a happy customer going home with your product!

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

Louis Vuitton: Conveyor Belt Bling

Not that a simple Louis Vuitton store window highlighting beautifully adorned handbags wouldn't be enough to catch my gaze, but a conveyor belt?! (The attached pic doesn't do it justice...check out the YouTube video here.)

Ah Louis Vuitton, touché. In this lovely game of store window wonderment, passersby get to play "follow the moving handbag" as it darts in and out of beaded passages, seemingly changing the bag with each passage. Too cool for school, if you ask me. When last in New York, I was so mesmerized by this puzzlingly simple concept, that I had two complete strangers ask me if I would like them to take a picture of me in front of the display. (That's a first!). Internally, I was just trying to figure out the mechanics behind the madness. Lovely, visual, intriguing, handbag madness!

--Alison Embrey Medina