Interiors by Design: Window shopping

Scrape together your 13 remaining recession dollars and hop the LIRR for the cheapest visual thrill of the season—viewing the department store and boutique windows in NYC.

I’ve said it before and will say it again, window dressers (or window witches, as they are affectionately known in the trade) are the great unsung masters in the design world. And in Manhattan, the profession has been raised to the level of “maestro.”

Taken very seriously by these talented few, New York’s holiday season displays are sometimes nine months in the making. And as you linger in front of these remarkable spaces, you will pick up on not only their limitless visual gymnastics, but their subtle puns and wry commentaries that separate Manhattan’s Christmas windows from the rest of the world’s windows.

First of all, I recommend you view the windows after twilight because the designers have lit them within an inch of their lives. After a hot toddy at the King Cole room, don your muff and scarves and wassail up to Bergdorf’s, the Carnegie Hall of window display. Based on the four seasons this year, Bergdorf’s Fifth Avenue windows are a model of mono-chromatic restraint overlaying an explosion of luxurious decoration. The “summer” window is particularly spectacular. A crystalline waterfall cascades onto an aquatic pool brimming with coral crustaceans and sparkling anemones floating in a pale aqua, grey and cream universe. Viewed as if in sections, you garner a spectrum of polished agate, pearls and seashells in a translucent petrified state. Make note of the window’s decorative proscenium, layered fish-scale-like with round wafers of abalone, polished starfish and gleaming scallop shells. Observe a blissful mannequin tiptoeing across the magical pool clothed in rapturous couture. In these meager times, Bergdorf’s windows might be as welcome an escape as the Ziegfeld Follies were to Depression-era theatre-goers.

The “autumn” window provides an extravaganza of celestial symbols and references with a voluptuously silk clad mannequin floating atop a “paper moon” decoupaged in the New York Times classified section. Appearing 18th century-like in Marie Antoinette attitude and sensibility, this haughty window is worth an extended perusal. Be sure to look everywhere in these windows—little moments, like the subtle references to Newton’s theory of relativity, are not to be given a short cut.

The “spring” window is stuffed with white on white taxidermy mixed in with gorgeous blanc de chine pheasants, roosters and eagles. These windows are a design lesson in balance, texture and imaginative juxtaposition. At first glance they are stunning, but as you dissect them, you catch the puns and the witty references, and then you are blown away by the dazzling workmanship and the obvious long hours of labor and thought that were invested. And finally, you are thrilled by the quality and uniqueness of almost every item in the display, be it junk or jewels.

Well, the next one over we go to is Crate and Barrel, where (proven over and over again) their approach to repetition of objects on a restricted color theme is always successfully eye catching. Red and green (though not Christmas green) designates the theme: stacks of cups in stripes or polka dots are graphically displayed next to feather white Christmas trees—all worth a minute’s stop to see why Crate and Barrel has branded itself so winningly.

Ann Taylor’s stylized taller-than-tall cone Christmas trees are certainly worth copying at the entrance to your estate. Across from Barney’s, they become a stately formal presence. Barney’s windows create a salute to the ’60s’ peace symbol and the political and cultural characters that starred in that turbulent world. Though dull by day (and a bit junky), Barney’s windows most dramatically come alive after sundown through their expert lighting! If you are nostalgic for this period, linger and read the cacophony of text—if not, push along to Christofle and peer into the emerald green world of the silver pitcher that has alighted on the velvet swing. This window is a delightful 
combination of white willow branches, rich velvet and sumptuous silver bibelots.

Wandering up Madison Avenue, Armani has assembled an alluring pattern of shiny egg-shaped ornaments in chrome, magenta, and purple, hung against black duveteen. The display showcases Armani’s signature restraint and elegance.

Juicy Couture took the opportunity to twist the holiday theme by wrapping their spiral staircase in Pepto-pink, cherry and red, encircling a pink be-glittered effigy of a Tower of London Beefeater. With a charcoal and cream zebra printed carpet running up, this stairwell seems destined to end up at the foot of the sugar plum fairy.

Tom Ford’s flagship windows, miniscule in scale, packed a retro punch with a spiraled “peace on earth” written in cursive orange neon. All this to display a pair of $3,000 sunglasses!

Ralph Lauren’s windows are very “Ralph”—the epitome of upper crust offhand collections of precious treasures and pricey nostalgia. With scale in mind, his window dresser constructed a section of an architectural eave of a snow laden Austrian chalet roof—a steroidal gingerbread manse that harbored delectable gifts and elegant clothing. His windows teach us how grand scale can be effective in restricted spaces.

Bloomingdale’s windows are a bit ordinary with their Norman Rockwell take on the ’50s rock and roll. Lord & Taylor’s displays are real child pleasers. Saks’ seems to be on a rather strict budget, as does Tiffany’s too. Louis Vuitton is alive in overlapping neon insignia, a very bright prediction for this year’s season.

Visiting New York’s window displays is always a pleasure. As designer, Wendy Monette says, “Since my apartment is so tiny, my Christmas decorations are the store windows of New York. I can stand before them, observing them sometimes up to 20 minutes apiece.” For those who love to experience the visual nirvana of some of New York’s finest creative minds—for free—drink up your hot toddy and make the rounds. Happy Holidays!

Marshall Watson is a nationally recognized interior and furniture designer who lives and works in the Hamptons and New York City. Reach him at 105 West 72nd Street, Suite 9B, New York, NY 10023.