Scene: Windows all dressed up on Fifth and Madison Avenues, and in between. The allure of a vision in a window, reflected. Proenza Schouler at Saks Fifth Avenue, above.
Notable window dressers: Simon Doonan of Barneys. David Hooey of Bergdorf Goodman. Gene Moore was a leading 20th century window dresser who joined Tiffany & Company in 1955. Danuta Ryder formerly of Henri Bendel. And other creatives who fashioned windows at one point in their careers: Giorgio Armani fashion designer. Salvatore Dali surrealist artist commissioned by Bonwit Teller. Victor Hugo associated with the Warhol Factory, produced window dressings for Halston in the 1970s. Raymond Loewy industrial designer who achieved fame for the magnitude of his design efforts, designed windows early in his career for Macy’s in New York. Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac worked as a window dresser in London in the 1960s. Joel Schumacher the film director was employed by Henri Bendel. Between 1956 and 1958, Tiffany’s Gene Moore tapped Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns, both artists associated with abstract expressionism, neo-dada, and pop art, to create a series of unorthodox windows using natural materials such as leaves, flowers, fruit, dirt, and sand to showcase their fine jewelry pieces.
Candy Pratts Price fashion editor, began her career creating award-winning windows and displays at Bloomingdale’s in 1979. As director of display and visual merchandising she is credited with the concept of the “vignette window”. She created highly theatrical installations. Working with Candy was energetic when I was at Bloomingdale’s as senior fashion art director in the Advertising Department, and hiring her as a consultant for a few projects when I was executive art director at Revlon.
“It’s Not Just Window Dressing” by Louise Lague for The New York Times.
Scene: Roberto Cavalli.
Scene: Proenza Schouler.
Scene: Stella McCartney at Saks Fifth Avenue.
Scene: Akris at Saks Fifth Avenue.
Scene: Emilio Pucci at Saks Fifth Avenue.
Scene: Marques’ Almeida at Saks Fifth Avenue.
Scene: Proenza Schouler at Saks Fifth Avenue.
Scene: Reiss London.
Scene: J. Crew Ten Thirty-five.
Scene: Bally.
Scene: Sonia Rykiel.
Scene: Jill Sanders.
Scene: John Varvatos.
Scene: Jonathan Simkhai at Saks Fifth Avenue.
Scene: Dolce & Gabbana Children’s Boutique.
Scene: Alfred Dunhill Ltd.
Scene: Vivienne Westwood.
Scene: Vivienne Westwood.
Scene: Proenza Schouler at Saks Fifth Avenue.
Scene: Gucci at Saks Fifth Avenue.
Scene: Alfred Dunhill Ltd.
Scene: Chloé.
Scene: J. Mendel at Bergdorf Goodman.
Scene: Bally.
Scene: Valentino at Saks Fifth Avenue.
Scene: Alexander McQueen.
Scene: Mui Mui at Bergdorf Goodman.
Scene: Etro.
Scene: Versace.
Scene: Libertine jacket and Caroline Constar dress at Bergdorf Goodman.
Scene: Oscar de la Renta.
Scene: Dolce & Gabbana.
Scene & Heard: Window at Van Cleef & Arpels and runway parlor chairs.
Joni Mitchell wrote and sang these words “Caught up at the light in the fishnet windows, Of Bloomingdale’s, Watching those high fashion girls, Skinny black models with raven curls, Beauty parlor blonds with credit card eyes, Looking for the chic and the fancy, To buy” in her song “Harry’s House/Centerpiece” from the album The Hissing of Summer Lawns in 1975 which was my first year at Bloomingdale’s.