It sounds stupid, but it's the 'realness' of being in the shopping environment, the tangible, your shopping senses tingling like crazy that appeals to us. If we buy clothes, or anything else, do we not want to be immersed in a brand's image, feel part of that image, touch and try on that image and ultimately buy into it? To me, it's where successful brands thrive. The in-store environment is critical to successful living as a brand. Abercrombie & Fitch's notorious frat house/night club/country manor on Savile row is the epitome of this, managing aspects from music levels, pin-up staff, to own brand fragrance sprayed religiously throughout the day. And since first impressions are all important, where better to start than the shop window.
There's loads of brilliant examples of great brands using those transparent, visual gateways to create a spectacle. To create that 'other-world' we all want to step into. Think of it as a Hollywood movie, where you can take home part of the set. You might pay an 'entry fee' compared to the online equivalent but you got an experience. You got something far more absorbing, sensual and immersive. An experience far more satisfying while you handed over your cash, than you ever could on a soulless website.
So, some great window displays: French Connection are getting a few heads turning (literally), using the 2 layer, reflective panels and weaving in their latest marketing icon 'The Man' manikin heads with this style.
Kate Moss, on the launch of her new range, famously modelled in the windows of TopShop, Oxford Street.
All Saints of Spitalfields, Manchester Store has huge windows full of old Singer sewing machines emphasising their hand-tailored, industrial image.
Diesel is famous for it's in-store design, and pushed it further by branching out to develop its own range of industrial-edged homewares. It's recent 'Be Stupid' campaign posterized their window displays with large, extremely bold print and was backed up by some cool marketing materials. In particular was a brochure, showing various ways people were being stupid, including smoking with a welders mask on. Genius. But then we know Diesel has a penchant for art.
Selfridges too, are famed for their elaborate window excellence. Here's a few examples spanning from a funky-biker santa, modern gothic/grunge to bizzare burlesque crossed with the tudors:
