London review 2.

Hello:)
so back to the London review.
2. Harvey Nichols, Harrods and sloane sq.

In this part of london we find the flagship stores of most of the luxury market. As such, most of the displays can be viewed in your own home town.
The biggest difference here to Sydney is that the large open window spaces, with smartly placed key accessories, lineup one after the other on Sloane st and the impact is impressive.

As always the VM in these stores is less than exciting with the beauty of the product taking up all the attention, but at 3000 pounds a bag, i guess that the rest of the space should be left plain:)

Having said that, as always the fashions are beautiful, the stores are immaculate both inside and out and there is a tangible air of austerity that befits these fashion powerhouses.

Harvey Nichols and Harrods provide the decorative elements in this area. Highly considered window displays and facades always are a key to these two department stores, who both have held the title (perhaps now held by selfridges in the public mind) of the best windows in London.

Harrods is always as amazing inside as its windows are, and as such i will discuss the harvey nichols windows of the last visit as they were quite different to usual.

The display at Harvey Nichols was a huge set of perfume displays, the entire size of the windows, to promote Tom Fords newest perfume range. It was amazing to see what is traditionally a small scale display done to this size. The repetition and imagery was very well done in light box style and i found this reinterpretation of scale very powerful. It also points to the return to the public eye of one of the heads of the fashion industry, which is great.

All in all, (as always)a very successful piece of Windowdressing, although i was a little disappointed to miss the usual eclectic and traditional window displays, such as this one from sept 06:




The side windows were more typical of the displays i have seen the last few times with graphic elements and small props interacting with few mannequins and flat lays/accessories.

More tomorrow!