The Live Project:

I would like to say one brief down, and just two to go before Christmas... however Silence is still proving to be an ongoing battle, and I'm not the one winning.  It seems to have gotten the better of me and the worry of not doing anything good has led me to do not much at all.

The second project of third year has begun, and we had a number of briefs with great potential to pick from.  I have selected TED BAKER.

The brief is asking for an autumn window display that captures the irreverence of Ted Baker, with a fun and British humour.

I'm so excited about this project.  It combines two of my favourite things... window displays, and the delightful Miss Davies who is my collaborative partner and creative soul mate for the next three weeks.

I wrapped up second year by doing my presentation on window displays.  I love visual merchandising and felt that I had some background knowledge of what is successful and what isn't.  It is also an excuse to delve into my archive of windows I've snapped in the past and put them to some use!

This week Hannah and I ventured into town together and took some photographs of existing displays (on my dodgy old camera):

Selfridges

Always a favourite of mine.

A great concept, engaging, eye catching, fun, colourful, slogans... representing a very British Christmas with a playful panto theme.  This is the kind of concept I imagine to suit the Ted Baker brief, irreverent and British!

Ted Baker

I love this!  It definitely helped me to understand Ted Baker and what the brief is about.  It was a teeny tiny window so I also understand how scaleable the windows must be.

"Elf & Fitness - Be a lean mean present giving machine".

I think it's a brilliant tagline.  It is persuasive, It captures the essence of the brands fun, it is engaging and directs a theme that will entertain and be easily received.  It is also seasonal without being cliche, something I think must be quite hard to produce.

Harvey Nichols

Another store well known for their window displays... but I have to say, I'm not a fan!  They always seem to be a prime example of 'great visual, poor concept.'  I never seem to understand what is going on and the amount to take in is just overwhelming.  The eye naturally centres on the focal point and centre feature, however there is so much dancing around it that it can't be taken in.  Window's need you to understand them in the split second before you have passed them by.  The themes never seem to engage me, I don't see the point in making something pretty if it doesn't communicate and fulfill its objective.  I also feel like Selfridges and Ted Baker have created a brand identity from their windows... not too sure what Harvey Nic's wants to say to me...

Time to get into action, so here's to hitting the ground running!