Holiday Windows Recap 2010

I knew even before moving to NYC that the holiday displays along and around 5th Avenue were a must see so I was excited to go out and take the photos for this year’s window recap. And I must say that what I saw exceeded my expectations. The windows were beautiful with an impressive amount of attention to detail. And with so many windows themed around travel and fantasy worlds, I felt as if I was being transported somewhere else just by looking at them.

Bergdorf Goodman

This year, the theme for Bergdorf Goodman’s Women’s Store was “Wish You Were Here.” This broad theme allowed David Hoey and his team to create a wide array of scenes. From the original Penn Station to the moon, by the end of my stroll around the building I felt like I had traveled the world. One might argue that theme was too broad, and the windows were not cohesive enough, but it’s hard to complain when the displays themselves are so gorgeous. Thanks, Bergdorf Goodman, I do wish I was there.

Barneys

Barneys windows are the oddball of the group (in a good way). It seems that they stick with more offbeat themes (such as Have a Hippie Holiday) and this year is no different. The theme for this year’s windows is Have a Foodie Holiday and feature ridiculous and sometimes creepy (I’m talking to you Paula Dean) sculptures of celebrity chefs. I must say, I was highly amused.

Tiffany’s

Tiffany’s windows may be small but they still manage to catch your eye. Their displays take you on a more storybook-like journey, filled with books, castles, and fairy tale villages. Tiffany jewelry decorates the landscape, and fairy tale phrases written in red make an eye catching finishing touch. These little displays managed to hold my attention for as long as some of the larger windows that I saw.

Saks Fifth Avenue

Saks Fifth Ave apparently owns snow, but this year they also tried to own bubbles. Their windows illustrate the world a girl finds after going into her parents cabinet (with some bubbles scattered throughout). There are also some windows illustrating party themes, but I’m not quiet sure how they fit into the whole story. While these windows and the clothes the mannequins are wearing are lovely, I feel like they’re missing something when compared to others that I saw on my stroll.

The last images are just a few of the other windows that caught my eye. It’s interesting to note how these elaborate displays still manage to relate to the products being sold inside. The storefront window is what draws people inside and tells them what to expect. The holiday window is no exception to this and is unarguably  the most important one. Barneys quirky windows imply that they are trendy, fun, and edgy. Tiffany’s storybook windows speak to the classic feel and timelessness of Tiffany’s products, while Bergdorf’s extravagant and ornate windows definitely tell you that they are a very high end retailer.

I enjoyed the windows so much that I actually went out to view them twice. Experiencing Christmas in NYC for the first time has been wonderful, but going home for the Holidays is going to be even nicer. I hope everyone else has been enjoying and will continue to enjoy the holidays as well. See you next year.

-Cristina Gomez