ARTIST ANDREW SALGADO COLLABORATION WITH HARVEY NICHOLS

Images: harveynichols, smudgetikka, harveynichols, facebook

Andrew Salgado was commissioned by Harvey Nichols to create 6 large scale paintings to be exhibited in the store-front windows of their Sloane Street location in Knightsbridge. Each window sets the scene of an artist's studio. Giant portraits cover the back wall and artists props such as easels, oil paint tubes and tins of paint help compete the art studio effect, with mannequins showcasing S/S13 fashions. Each window shows a different subject matter, mirroring the diversity of Harvey Nichols customers who step through the doors each day. I love his work and how distinctive his technique is, it would be great to see more store windows mixing different creative ways with fashion. Find out more by watching the video below.

VISUAL MERCHANDISING - PRODUCT PLACEMENT

As part of my University creative work, I have been looking at Visual Merchandising and how certain stores put different products in the window to entice customers through the doors. By placing products that work well together be it through colour, style or theme, customers can piece together a story and decide which products they can see fitting into their lifestyle. For the business this means they can maximise sales by a way of attracting custom and promoting their shop through product placement. In the above pictures, I have placed garments with cosmetics and accessories, as well as including prints and colour ways. These are all products that are sold in Harvey Nichols stores and I feel all three looks would work well together for Spring/Summer store windows. As I want the windows to be based on beauty, key cosmetics and accessories would be placed in the front of the window. This would create a focal point for the customer and the mannequins and clothing would be an extra accessory to display a story.

HARVEY NICHOLS BIRMINGHAM - VISUAL MERCHANDISING

I recently took photos of the Knightsbridge store's Visual Merchandising, so I thought I would compare those with the windows of the Birmingham store in The Mailbox. The Birmingham store doesn't have the space that the flagship store has, but the Visual Merchandising is just as effective on a smaller scale. The windows were beauty based promoting Space.NK.apothecary. Placing head mannequins with Percy & Reed Hair products and a Salon window with cosmetics and retro props. The other side showed a 'Harvey's Hot Dogs' van with a sign for New Street. The windows were really bright and fun and I believe they were produced to entice the younger consumer through the doors. At the moment, Harvey Nichols are also giving away a limited edition gift with purchase. Spend £110 on fragrance, skincare, beauty or cosmetics and receive over £130 worth of treats from some of the most prestigious brands on offer in HN. Find out more here. What do you think of the Store windows? 

HARVEY NICHOLS LONDON - VISUAL MERCHANDISING

I took these photos a couple of weeks ago of Harvey Nichols current store windows in Knightsbridge, London. I am currently writing my dissertation around Harvey Nichols, and their Visual Merchandising plays a big part in their marketing strategy. I feel the current visual merchandising is very conceptual and they have seemed to use basic materials to create an effective story. I really like the product placement, using beauty products and stationery next to shoes and bags. Also using materials like cardboard, paint and tissue with the contrast of real branches. The visual merchandising carried on in-store, with pause points and mannequins next to the escalators which maximise visual impact. Every element of the window displays have been carefully considered and the products very intentionally place to create a focal point. Harvey Nichols teams design, build and install their own windows and try to re-use materials to keep to a tight budget, rotating schemes to other branches of the store. What do you think of Harvey Nichols store windows?

SELFRIDGES CHRISTMAS WINDOWS - VISUAL MERCHANDISING

Before Christmas, I visited London and one of the highlights for me was the Christmas windows on Oxford Street. Selfridges is probably my favourite Department Store, and their  Christmas window displays really won me over this year. My favourite part was the playful Anya Hindmarch wooden workshop window, (last photo) everything was moving either up and down or on a little train track and the floor was covered in Quality Street chocolates - it was all really clever! The theme behind the windows was 'An unusual Christmas' and you can watch the behind the scenes video of how they put it all together here and the making of the Anya Hindmarch window here. I also really enjoyed the Children In Need Pudsey Bear window and the Sefridges building made to look like a giant Gingerbread Store - all so cute! What was your favourite Christmas window display? Hope you all had a great Christmas.