Cool Customers

Sometimes the best window displays are completely accidental.

On a recent tour in midtown I saw that Daffy’s, a popular designer discount outlet was redoing its “Cool Customers” windows. Daffy’s often toys with clever word play in its advertising, this particular round referencing its hip fashions and customers as personifying “cool,” and the season being inordinately cold, a perfect time to promote its outerwear. This one chilly mid-morning Daffy’s on Madison Avenue left their fiberglass forms out in their birthday suits, nonchalant, undressed, unaware of the irony. Like the classic actor’s nightmare, I too wondered what it might be like to be left undressed in public, with a sign hanging over my head “cool customer.”

Unapologetic, with his arms folded the male mannequin in the foreground seems to be daring customers to pass comment. Undressed as jaybirds, with their proverbial pants down, both mannequins were as exposed and vulnerable as our two recent governors, who were also caught in flagrante, furthering the window's irony. I did make a mental note that the mannequins' postures and forced expressions were eerily reminiscent of recent press conferences. Time permitting, check out the video of a 3-year-old in her princess costume recounting former Governor Spitzer’s exploits as she explains, "everybody was talking about it at school," substituting the word prostitute for "his friend."

I was fascinated how people on the street seemed blasé, and detached epitomizing the “cool customer” mentality, which got me wondering why this particular window was one of the most interesting in the neighborhood to me.

Flirting with public relations disasters, the sexually explicit window displays at Victoria’s Secret have been toned down considerably to meet community standards, which appear more modest than the Eisenhower administration. Window displays by and large have uniformly followed the same Spartan template, a large oversize graphic, centered, with a minimal off-centered display of a single headless mannequin--think Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Club Monaco, Macy’s and The Gap. As a result, customers have learned not to expect too much, which is exactly what they receive. Macy’s in Boston was forced to remove their display celebrating Gay Pride last June, when customers complained that one of the mannequins was wearing a Gay Pride flag as a sarong. Once Macy’s acquiesced, other groups protested the windows removal. You can’t please everyone all the time. Citing controversy and adverse PR, retailers have shied away POV windows altogether. Citing political correctness, retailers have shied away from sense of humor windows. Commentary on popular culture and the social scene has given way to safer, i.e., blander concept windows on color blocking and innocuous seasonal presentations. If I see another all white window display I’ll just go postal. Many windows have been co-opted by manufactures and designers, (fee for product placement) hence the litany of windows devoted to single items like fragrance or cappuccino makers. It’s a great source of revenue for the retailer, but is a window full of boxed out displays of potato peelers the best that Bed Bath & Beyond can do?

At capacity store windows should be the eyes of the store, leading us inside to the soul of the store. Windows should reflect the personality of the retailer, which invariably like a real person, should be many things, not just one. There are slews of talented visual merchandisers out there. I know many of them. They do great work. They are smart, witty, brave, creative, clever and adorable. Often stymied by management, and jury by consensus, I wish that they could apply their craft, elevate their artistry and offer customers something more interesting to look at.

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

Eye Candy

There is a big difference between what is a fad and a trend. And I know a trend when I see one. While I don’t rely on a crystal ball, I do rely on the fashion magazines and shop windows on Fifth Avenue to assist in my prediction. Here goes…this year, and next, retailers in droves will be jumping on the “Wet Look” bandwagon, and the latest thing in mannequins will be their “finish,” not their style, pose or posture. The new “wet look” is in. Rest assured mannequins will be shinier than your old tube of strawberry flavored lip gloss. The flat white chalky mannequins of days of yore may not disappear entirely, but they will be fewer. Today’s mannequins have shine appeal.

Following what we’ve seen stroll down the catwalks, the “wet look” has captured couture and mainstream fashion retailers alike, which is why we’re seeing a preponderance of clothing produced in shiny fabrications--waxed jeans, oiled linens, slick polyurethane down vests. Glossy fabrics, once considered cheap and déclassé, have made a comeback, including patent leather, gold lame, pleathery spandex, super-shiny silks and acetates. Versace’s gold linen men’s suit was the talk of the Milan shows. It’s not just a pretentious fashion accessory, Tom Ford needs to wear his signature sunglasses, as his showroom is awash in Zenga suits blended platinum or something equally shiny. Shiny finishes have infiltrated the popular culture too. Now that TV has gone digital, even the dullest newscasters have tossed away their old wool suits, and replaced them for suits made with a touch of shine and sparkle to add that extra dimension to your 42-in. screens.

This “wet look” trend follows the influence of metallics that have been, and continue to be, seen on the fashion pages. Mannequin manufactures seized upon that trend in 2005 and began to introduce automotive finishes a few years ago. That’s right, you could get your Lexus or Prius in the same color as your junior or women’s ready-to-wear mannequin. About the same time mannequin manufacturers started adding pearlescent and opalescent flakes to their paint mix to create jewel-like finishes known in the trade as “candy coatings.” A benefit of the flake was that it added depth of color when lit that standard paints cannot offer.

The wet look suggests liquidity and movement, even dark colors like black, when produced in a high gloss, reflect light and become a mirror-like surface that is fun to play off of. The look draws the eye. Emotionally the “wet look” is just in keeping with the timbre of the times. It's fluid, sinuous, expansive, neither here nor there; it’s ever changing and constantly moving. It’s reflective and anamorphic. In these transitional times it appeals to our psychological subconscious.

Wet is the new dry.

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

Windows That Pop

The Harrods spring 2008 campaign is all about experiencing the luxurious department store and its products with all senses: hearing, sight, taste, touch and smell. How divine! The campaign, which was conceptualized by the Harrods creative team and realized by Elemental Design, invokes bright colors, playful props and interactive elements to create a sort of window theater.

More than display windows are decorated with props such as strawberries, champagne bottles and horses. To play off the sense of taste, the strawberry window is decorated with a vinyl image of a pile of strawberries, dripping with chocolate. One of the strawberries is a 3-D prop attached to the outside of the window, with strawberry lollipops placed inside for customers to take with them. The champagne window also speaks to the sense of taste.

The sense of sight is highlighted in the Phillips window, where a plasma built into a mirrored unit creates an optical illusion--making it look as if there were nine screens instead of one. The other part of the window is a mirrored unit showcasing constantly changing lights. 

"Interactive windows are the future of window display," says Nicola Metzger, the head of mrketing at Elemental Design. "It is all about creating brand experiences that truly engage target customers and make them remember a brand."

Now if only they gave away free champagne and plasma screens in addition to those lollipops!

--Jessie Bove

Step Outside the Box This Valentine's Day

Okay, here's the deal: traditional Valentine's Day gift ideas are lame-o, with a capital 'L.' Chocolates, flowers, lingerie (let me buy it myself, for god's sake!) and jewelry is a bit tired. Yet, how are we supposed to do any better when retailers only offer up the same-old goods year after year? A recent jaunt through the mall left me empty handed. Did I really want to give my man chocolates in a heart-shaped box? Um, probably about as much as he wants to receive one.

Fortunately, AreYouRomantic.com launched just in time for V-day, offering sassy ideas for spicing up the romance in any relationship. But, first they did a poll to uncover the following:

 -70 percent of men are waiting until the last minute (read 5 p.m. on Thursday) to make Valentine's Day plans.
-Men typically give their partners cards (59 percent), flowers (42 percent) or candy (19 percent).
-68 percent of women feel men should be planning something special.

So, with that in mind, here are some gift ideas for V-day beyond chocolates and flowers to 'wow' your significant other. These are gifts you can get pretty much anywhere, which means no more blaming retailers for not giving us better options.

And, for the record, I don't think it's only up to the guy to make plans. Ladies, we're notoriously good planners--so get your guy something fun and fabulous!

For him:
-iPod accessories
-Razor phone
-Clothes, clothes, clothes--specifically gym gear and sexy boxers (not the ones with red lips!)
-Book: Mortified: Love is a Battlefield by David Nadelberg
-19-in. flatscreen computer monitor
-Subscription to Men's Health or GQ
-Weekend at a posh downtown hotel--make sure flatscreen televisions are somehow included

For her:
-Sex & The City - complete DVD series set
-Spa day
-Gift card to her favorite clothing retailer
-Plush, short bathrobe
-LG Chocolate phone
-Kate Spade handbag
-Weekend at a bed and breakfast

See, that wasn't so bad. And if you're without a valentine, remember it's just a commercialized, silly holiday. Oh, and those chocolate hearts are on sale on the 15th--I'll see you at Target to cash in.

Do you have a fabulous V-day gift idea for either him or her? If so, share your wisdom by leaving a comment.

--Heather Strang

Baaaaad Abercrombie

Abercrombie & Fitch has been gettin' dirty on the beach--Virginia Beach to be exact. Its store at Lynnhaven Mall in Virginia Beach, Va., had a visit from law officials after some customers complained of lewd photos being displayed. One of the photos reportedly showed three shirtless young men (no biggie...G-rated), with one man's "upper buttocks" showing (okay, butt cleavage definitely slides slightly into PG-13)--the other image was of a woman whose breast was "mostly exposed" (moving right into the R-rated there, I admit). Honestly, if they're the same photos on A&F's Web site right now, they're really not that bad. A bit of overreaction if you ask me. However, Virginia Beach code prohibits display of "obscene materials in a business that is open to juveniles," making the sexy photos a no-no.

This is my favorite part. The police not only came in and confiscated the two display photos (where are they now, I ask--bathroom decor in the police station?), but the store manager was cited on a misdemeanor obscenity charge, and if convicted, could face a fine of up to $2,000 and as much as A YEAR IN JAIL. Ouch.

Abercrombie sells sex--they always have. What makes a thick-striped rugby shirt and corduroy pants a turn on is a mystery to me, but I admit to having saved a catalog or two of theirs in years past (they halted them in 2003, 'tis a shame). Luckily, most of their stores are so dark, the majority of customers probably missed the "obscene" graphics anyway. You need a flashlight to find your size in that place.

--Alison Embrey Medina

Why Mannequins No Longer Smile

If mannequins are truly a reflection of our culture, then one can only hypothesize why mannequins no longer smile. In fact, mannequins have not been smiling for some time. Mannequins are dead serious. Are they taking their cue from us, or are we taking their lead? On recent trips to Macy’s, Saks and Bloomingdale’s, I was approached by salespeople with the emotional register of Grant Wood’s “American Gothic.” So I put it to you, when was the last time you smiled?

Mannequins perhaps taking their cue from fashion photography have adopted the dour faced look that has been popular in the fashion trades for some time now. Naturally, there was precious little to smile about if you were being photographed or hunted by Helmut Newton. Granted, it wasn’t a laugh riot if you were Edie Sedgwick, Gia or Kate Moss posing for some heroin chic editorial. The obsession with thinness has also eliminated smiles from the fashion pages. When you smile the uplift in cheek muscles can even make Linda Evangelista look apple cheeked, and that look went out with gingham and ruffles. Men in the fashion pages have long been sober and sedate. In reviewing the copies of DNR, Details and GQ on my desk, I was hard pressed to find any image of any man appearing happy, let alone actually smiling. It makes me question if life is really as bleak and mundane as the fashion monthly’s dictate?

Mannequins are traditionally closed lipped, suggesting they have nothing to say. They appear more like observers than participants in life. Their lips are usually pursed, pulled in at the sides, as if they are biting their cheeks, almost holding back commentary. Personally, I’d love to see a mannequin with a point of view. I’d love to see them caught in conversation doing something! Most of the major mannequin houses produce according to the corporate line, no smilers in the lot. Even the children’s collections they produce seldom have an out and out smiler.  I guess kids forgot how to smile too.

Storefront mannequins are always beautifully dressed, but they do not appear pleased; they do not appear happy; they appear innocuous, habitually posing off the hip, contra posto, assessing something unknown and perhaps intangible--they remain situated in some vague unknown.

Mannequins in the 50s routinely donned fake smiles and arched eyebrows typical of the period, the forced optimism of the McCarthy and Cold War era. They were little more than wax work figures, representational, not presentational forms. Today’s mannequins are most often headless, or if with head, sculptural, abstracted to every degree, down to no expression whatsoever, as evidenced in the classic and popular “egg” head. Mannequins just refuse to smile.

Many adjectives can be used to describe today’s mannequins, here are a few: serious, quiet, dull, soulful, sedate, pouting, authorative, sophisticated, bland, sullen, glamorous and haughty. Here are a few adjectives that if designed, might make for a real change of pace in the mannequin hemisphere and on the sales floor: joyful, jovial, friendly, amusing, pleased, confidant, teasing, flirty and euphoric. Wouldn’t it be a treat to see a happy mannequin? Maybe there would be happy sales people and happy customers.

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

Photo: CK poster, 39th and 8th Ave., form by Fabulous Fit, photograph by Ron Knoth

What Was I Thinking?

My boss paid me a compliment this morning…at least I think it was a compliment. He opined that the set that I was redeveloping looked like something painted by Jackson Pollack. But that wasn’t what he was looking for. I immediately shot back that Pollack wasn’t the look I was going for either, I was more inspired by Whistler, and that he could go whistle too. But it got me thinking...

Was I more interested in the dramatic look of lines and shadows, or was I trying to functionally display the products to make the best impression on the customer in the store? The soft shadow outline of the hard sharp chainsaw teeth against the pegboard (yes, I’m in the ultimate hardlines field, hardware) and the interesting interplay of saw blades against hedge trimmer noses all intermingles with the rounded tubes of leaf blowers. A geometric puzzle of arc, curve, acute angles and round holes, all played out in 12 lineal ft. of 7-ft.-tall fixture. The practical aspect of the display had to be to let the customer get his hands on the chainsaw. To wave it around and pretend that he’s the lead role in the "Texas Chain Saw Massacre," or to just decide if it’s big enough to cut up the tree that fell across his front porch in last night's storm. And it has to be high enough off of the floor to keep little children from running their hands along it and getting cut to smithereens.

But that can simply be accomplished by opening the box and dumping the saw on a shelf. There has to be more to the display than just that, doesn’t there? At the risk of being drummed out of the business, I have to wonder if we all haven’t gotten caught up in trying to create art and high drama in our stores and we’ve forgotten or ignored the basics of the business, making it easy and comfortable for our customers. I remember an article about a new store that had a glass floor with mannequins lying down under the glass, and as I recall there were benches around the area with single bits of clothing draped on them. A dramatic look, but who was it for? With the possible exception of David Blaine, is anyone shopping for clothes to wear while lying down underneath a glass floor? But no one has ever accused me of being fashion conscious. So I’ll keep designing for hardware stores and reading the articles of art and drama in the fashion biz, and maybe one day I’ll see a store that will tempt me to try on more than just black jeans and black polo shirts. Maybe I’ll try fuchsia.

--Scott Caldwell, Guest Blogger

Sky Workers

Just when I thought window displays were losing that artistic edge, a window campaign designed by Diesel and Elemental Design has changed my mind. Diesel, a brand known for its jeans and casual clothing, launched a campaign in April that was inspired by the lives of "sky workers" and 20th-century photography. Diesel U.K. and Elemental Design, a visual communications agency, designed, produced and installed the city landscape window campaign for the Diesel U.K. flagship store on New Bond Street. The inspiration of this campaign was 20th-century photography exploring the lives of “sky workers," such as instance pilots, skydivers and skyscraper cleaners.

Freestanding layers of city silhouettes--made of polystyrene with a high gloss finish--work together to produce a modern landscape based on a 3-D architectural model. Mannequins suspended on swings overlook the white city and take on the role of the fashionable and sophisticated “sky workers."

It's simple, yet edgy; restrained, yet evocative. Mostly though, it makes you stop and take a look--and perhaps even venture inside.

--Jessie Bove

No Dummy

When most people think of mannequins, they think of retail. Well, that isn't the case in a new city center near Atlanta's Buckhead neighborhood.

With an "art" installation of more than 100 mannequins on the property, the new mixed-use development, named Lindbergh City Center, recently launched a campaign to promote its residential element, eon at Lindbergh. The mannequins were positioned alongside a busy street, standing in a somewhat zombie-like pose that could double as a scene from the horror flick "Night of the Living Dead." Each mannequin donned a black T-shirt that read "Bring Lindbergh to life," and a pair of khaki shorts.  Orlando, Fla.-based marketing agency PUSH headed up the campaign, stating, "The mannequins at eon at Lindbergh are on the edge of the New Urbanism trend. They establish their own community and invite people to join them and ultimately, replace them."

The temporary display, lasting only 72 hours, definitely made a statement and even stopped traffic (not hard to do in Atlanta because most of the time it's not moving.) According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, not all the mannequins survived the night; two were carted off, while one that had fallen to the ground received CPR by one of the locals. And many couldn't resist posing with the mannequins for an interesting photo.

The mannequins are expected to make encore appearances throughout Atlanta, in various bars and public places to promote the new condos. Although those mannequins are pretty cool, let's hope eon's campaign recruits some live bodies to the area. After all, someone has to pay the bills.

--Rachel Brown

Say Good-Bye to Window Shopping?

The following is an interesting letter the Retail Design Diva received from reader Eric Curtis in response to the Mirror Mirror Not on the Wall posting. He highlights several points about the disappearance of storefront windows that are worth noting. Just how I don't like mirror-less fitting rooms, some shoppers may not like the window-less storefronts popping up in malls across the country. Hollister Co., Ruehl No. 925 and Martin + Osa are just some of the "offenders." Do solid storefronts make retailers stand out? Do they scare consumers away? Do they draw new patrons in? There is no consensus. Read Eric's letter and see what you think:

"Love reading Retail Design Diva. Just finished reading this article in The New York Times and had to point out what some might find to be a horrible trend--eliminating storefront windows. Playing the role of Devil's Advocate, I understand the argument that these retailers such as Abercrombie & Fitch do it as a way to project exclusivity as if it were a nightclub for the cognoscenti. Even Paco Underhill is quoted as saying: 'It's just like that velvet rope in front of the nightclub. It makes people even more anxious to go inside and look.' I have to disagree--people necessarily are not more anxious. Part of the fun, the experience, of going to a shopping center is looking at the window displays. As a young single man I may rarely or never step foot in a Victoria's Secret or The Children's Place, though I do appreciate a clever visual display or product that may entice me into remembering the store as a source for a gift--i.e. flannel pajama sets for a nephew and niece. Consumers love companies that practice ease of use/accessibility for the user such as Apple and Google--and Apple does the same in their shopping environment. This outdated idea of eliminating window displays or, as you previously noted, mirrors in changing rooms, seems rather a backwards way of thinking. Just curious as to your thoughts."

Personally, I have mixed feelings about window-less storefronts. I think they can be mysterious and fun. Then again, I do love to see eye-catching window displays as I wander through a mall. Which is better? Perhaps the problem all comes down to visual merchandising. Has visual merchandising, which some consider to be a fading segment of the retail industry, become so uninspired and uniform that window displays are no longer doing their jobs? This certainly isn't the case for retailers like Barneys New York, whose visual merchandising team has become somewhat of a legend, known for its creative window displays and original concepts. What do you (that's right, YOU!) think? The design diva wants to know, so you better not keep her waiting.

--Jessie Bove

Photo: One of the fabulous window displays for Barneys New York.

Take A Peek Into The Future

Forgive the blatant promotion, but someone has to tell you about DDI's upcoming Color & Materials Conference, and who better than yours truly?

If you missed last year's inaugural event, here's your opportunity to be better prepared for 2007 by previewing innovative products from leading suppliers, while also hearing from the experts on color and materials trends.

Designers who attended last year's event told us it was a perfect solution to their information needs:

> "An overall great event to showcase what's new with materials design and color! Can't wait till next year."

> "I thought the speakers were excellent, the inspirational and informative mix was perfect. The high profile firms were what attracted me, and the content kept me engaged all day,"

DDI has raised the bar this year, bringing in design guru Karim Rashid as our keynote speaker. The legendary Rashid is reason enough to sign up for the October 26 event, but he's not alone. Joining him on the stage at New York City's American Conference Center will be:

> Blaine Brownell, author of "Transmaterial: A Catalog of Materials that Redefine our Physical Environment," will preview emerging materials

> Doty Horn, Benjamin Moore's Director of Color and Design, will present the company's Color Pulse 2008 forecast

> Randall Ridless, known for his work with Burberry, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman, will discuss materials for luxury environments

> Experts from Maya Romanoff, Tandus, Architectural Systems, Centiva, Moss and Lamin-Art will share their insights on color and materials trends

While you're previewing the future and seeing creative uses of both new and traditional materials, you'll also be able to experience the trends in person in our exhibit area, where more than 20 innovative materials suppliers will be on hand to demonstrate what's new.

In one day, you'll acquire an unmatched education on current and upcoming materials and color trends. Please join us!

Click here to register: www.ddimagazine.com/colorandmaterials

--Karen Schaffner

Fido Goes Shopping

Not to belabor the point about pet ownership, but I want to continue the discussion. I'm one of those pet owners who wishes she could bring her dog to work or out to lunch or shopping. I don't know how many of you feel the same way, but I've been checking around, and it appears there may be a growing trend toward more pet-friendly stores.

As more open-air retail centers are replacing mall boxes, it only makes sense. In Littleton, Colo., Aspen Grove actually encourages shoppers to "bring your pets for an extraordinary day of shopping." The International Council of Shopping Centers actually honored the center for its liberal pet policy last year. Even Ann Taylor, the Gap and Victoria's Secret welcome dogs in their stores at Aspen Grove. The Gap is selling dog sweatshirts, while Victoria's Secret has a pink dog collar with bone- and dog-shaped charms.

And there seems to be a kennel full of Web sites that tell pet lovers where they can take their dogs shopping or dining. Here are just a few: Dogfriendly.com; Urbanhound.com; Wikifido.com; Petsonthego.com.

So roll out the welcome mat, water dish and food bowl, retailers. It's a dog's world!

-- Karen Schaffner

Looking for LED Inspiration?

 

If Diva's recent post on LED lighting caught your eye, and you're wondering where to go for more LED design inspiration, may we suggest Wired.com's gallery of LED architectural uses? The blog features photos of projects from all over the world, including the Basketball Hall of Fame pictured here, which won a Lumen Award in 2003.

--Karen Schaffner

Photo: Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Springfield, Mass.; Scott Frances

Artful Windows...in Cleveland?

 

As village centers and similar non-mall retail concepts take hold, retailers of all shapes and sizes seem to be struggling to re-learn the art of window design. Outside of Manhattan and a few other urban centers, it's all about lifestyle graphics and "artfully placed" merchandise.

Last year, Atlantic Station in Atlanta held a holiday window design competition as a way to notify its then-newly arrived merchants that they were raising the bar on curb appeal.

Now Cleveland, Ohio, has come up with a new project that will both support the arts community and show local retailers that effective store windows are more about creativity than high-cost displays. "Retail Design on a Dime" will pair up local artists and designers with 10 merchants to create original installations that reflect the nature of the business and help draw customers to the stores.

Artists and designers will get a $1,000 stipend and a $250 materials budget, not to mention the publicity from being credited in the window itself as well as local media. The project is being coordinated by the Cleveland Neighborhood Development Coalition, which gets a nod from the Diva for paying attention to the "retail details." If you're interested in pursuing a similar project in your town, click here for the details.

(Photo: Metropolitan Deluxe, the winner of Atlantic Station's holiday window contest last year.)

--Karen Schaffner

Romancing The Mannequin

Everyone in visual merchandising knows that a well-dressed mannequin can help sell merchandise and that using the right mannequin can help establish and communicate a brand’s image. There is no better way to educate customers on fashion trends and how to put looks together in the store. Unfortunately, mannequin use tends to be cyclical: most stores buy and use more mannequins when business is good and cut back on mannequin purchases in economic downturns. In lean times, damaged mannequins don’t get repaired; they sit in the back room gathering dust. Fewer mannequins appear on the sales floor.

Over the years, realistic mannequins have given way to abstracts (which save costs and labor), and now visual merchandisers have endless options of styles and finishes. Savvy upscale stores work with mannequin firms to custom design their own, making their brands even more unique.

The current trend in mannequins is to cluster groups of mannequins tightly together. This can be seen in stores such as Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, and also in the Gap, Victoria’s Secret and Abercrombie & Fitch. Such groups may include six, eight or more figures in one location, in various poses. They work very effectively to communicate a targeted and consistent fashion message with a lot of impact.

For those who might benefit from a reminder of the superb job mannequins can do, Vera Wang’s current promotion might be a wake-up call. Working with Goldsmith, the firm that fabricated the Mode Collection mannequins, Vera Wang has used full-body, abstract mannequins to romance its newest fashions, exhibiting them in photos used in advertising that appears in fashion magazines and even on the sides of New York City buses. Check out the Vera Wang Web site for a big dose of inspiration.

Thanks Vera Wang (and Goldsmith) for reminding us how captivating mannequins can be.

--RoxAnna Sway

Chocolate Disappointment

Who can think about chocolate without imagining the mouth-watering, seductive aroma, and the feel of the tongue-swirling, flavor-bursting, sinfully-rich, melting goodness in the mouth? From a cup of hot cocoa, slathered in whipped cream; to a molten-hot chocolate cake with its runny, gooey filling oozing across the desert plate; to handmade truffles, chocolate lives up to its reputation. (Some people say chocolate is even better than sex.)

That’s why I was surprised and somewhat disappointed to visit the Chocolate exhibit at the Fernbank Science Center in Atlanta recently, to discover that this exhibit missed every opportunity to appeal to the senses. There were audio/visual presentations and interactive kiosks; and displays, that presented an historical look at packaging for chocolate products over the years; but somehow the exhibit failed to meet expectations. (The exhibit was designed by the Field Museum in Chicago and has been traveling around the country.) But it could have been so much more interesting—with only a little more effort.

They should have hired a visual merchandiser, who would know that sensory technology—including a machine to scientifically dispense the chocolate aroma—would have been a huge plus. The emotional connection, triggered by smell, would certainly have done more to drawn viewers into the mystique of chocolate, for it is this emotional craving that has created a market for chocolate, worldwide. And, why not engage Hershey, or another chocolate manufacturer, to provide free samples, thereby also engaging the sense of taste? Viewers, whose taste buds were stimulated by the show, could only buy a limited selection of chocolate bars and other treats in the small museum gift shop at the end of the exhibit. Maybe teaming up with a retailer for the retail effort could have resulted in a really knockout chocolate shop.

This exhibit (from a conception and design point of view) was all about missed opportunities. The exhibit came off as cut and dry, and there’s nothing cut and dry about chocolate. Just ask a chocoholic—like me.

--RoxAnna Sway

The "Anti-Gap"

Diva doesn't need to look into her crystal ball to see that the future isn't bright for look alike stores. You know them...plain vanilla boxes with big lifestyle graphics. Folded neatly on the table in the front are sweaters...all cashmere in black, white, blue and pink. On the racks, suits in black, grey and tan. OMIGOD. Where have all the creative spirits gone?

Maybe they're all working for Anthropologie. With massive old French farm tables, weathered garden furniture and painted cupboards used to display its decidedly different merchandise, its stores are wondrous to behold. (Picture Diva gushing...)

To quote the Philadelphia Inquirer, parent company Urban Outfitters' hometown paper:

"In the cookie-cutter world of fashion, the company stands out by selling mass-produced items that feel unique and handcrafted. It's the anti-Gap, and architecture plays a big role in the illusion. The company's 150 stores in North America and Europe look as accidental as a flea market. But those silky pajamas aren't draped across that 19th-century Italian sideboard merely by chance."

How can a $1 billion dollar retail chain be so creative and out-of-the-vanilla-box? Certainly part of the secret is the fact that founder Richard A. Hayne was an anthropology major at Lehigh University. Which could explan why Anthropologie actually has a "Found-Objects Buyer."

There is hope, my dears. There is hope.

--Karen Schaffner

Most Famous Mannequin. Ever.

We're guessing that to those fickle, easily amused people who gawk at windows consumers, urban sex bomb Kim Cattrall must be the most famous mannequin ever.  To those of us in the business, that honor belongs to someone else's  creation, and, more specifically, the Twiggy-based 1960's issued prototype. Insiders like the Diva know that mannequins aren't called dummies, and we know that display forms and hangers aren't mannequins.

Mannequins, which are far more popular in Europe than the USA, are everywhere in our culture.  Like in movies, Broadway shows, commercials and, some dudes who say the word 'dude' a lot even put them in their stores. Hey, sometimes mannequins can be fun to play with.  Or, they could be heroic.

The Diva's favorite all-time Visual Merchandiser is, of course, Rhoda, even though (non-American Idol) Simon might be a more contemporary choice.  But who knows? Maybe the upcoming Visual Merchandiser episode of Oxygen Network's reality show Making it Big will produce a new favorite. Anyway, lots of perks await if you are the VM'er that they pick for the show, like meeting people more famous than, um, you.  So, if you want to be all beau monde on TV without eating bugs or skating with a celebrity, better head on over here for deets. Oh, and if you win and Make it Big, promise not to forget all the little Divas along the way?

Comments on your favorite mannequin and/or visual merchandiser (ever) posted without delay. Really.

--Doug Hope

 

Target...Isn't It Bazaar?

Just when I think Target can't get any better, it surpasses my expectations yet again. Introducing Target's new Global Bazaar, a store-within-a-store niche featuring internationally inspired arts, crafts and home furnishings from the Far East to the savannahs of Africa. The in-store merchandising area takes your breath away with the product variety alone, and the overhead graphics and wall signing is definitely meant to call your attention to the space.

What's more, when you shop the Bazaar online, you have the option to shop by region, including collections from Africa, Asia Traditional, Asia Modern, Europe, India Traditional, India Colonial and Latin America. Pier 1 Imports--eat your heart out.

--Alison Embrey

And we thought Victoria’s Secret celebrated visual merchandising…

Just when we thought the Diva had addressed the store-window controversy of the day, a window display at a store called Spellbound in Augusta, Maine, surpasses even Victoria’s Secret. A recent article by the Associated Press reports, “In this town, window shopping is attracting a lot more guys than usual. A lingerie store called Spellbound is grabbing attention with live models in the window.”

Apparently, it may even be easier to take this tactic than to buy actual mannequins. “Spellbound owner Felicia Stockford said she has had no trouble finding staffers,” the AP says. “She said the young women enjoy strutting their stuff in the shop window.”

But, the Diva muses, Does this break some kind of unwritten rule in visual merchandising?

--Sree Roy

Walking on broken crystal...

Who's the genius who decided that the holiday season would be the very best time of year to put display tables right smack dab in the middle of the busiest aisles? I totally understand the importance of holiday sales results, which can make or break a retailer's year, but I'd love to see someone compare losses from breakage vs. actual sales lift on, say, those expensive, extremely fragile Swarovski crystal holiday ornaments. I witnessed more than one close call at department stores this past season. If you're going to try to trip customers with displays in order to get their attention, seems like a teddy bear display would be less risky.

--Karen Schaffner

Customers as bullies?

Since it's not an Election Year, we gotta beat up on somebody, right? I mean, since Bush has had Katrina and Harriet and Scooter nuke his second term, there has to be somewhere else to send negatory karma. So, why not beat up on, oh, I know....retail? Hey' it's not that everyone loves the world's largest discounter, but since when do the politically-focused Jib-Jabbers pick on retailers?

Hey, it's not that we're not eco-minded at the Diva, but what kind of lingerie-phobe picks on Victoria's Secret? Oh, and speaking of Vicky, let's hope they put things back to fun-but-twisted normal instead of caving to the Bridge Club. Let's just say that the "offended" consumers aren't exactly thong-wearers anyway. And as far as being put off by a little skin, we sure hope that Aunt Bee doesn't hit the Louvre, the Met, or any respected art museum. Note to McClean: They're plastic and they have clothes on. Rock the Vote, Visual Merchandisers!

--Doug Hope