Harvey Nichols stunning menswear windows, a collaboration with painter Andrew Salgado

Posted on April 14, 2013 by smudgetikka

In the middle of running around town last week for press shows I was stopped dead in my tracks by these stunning Harvey Nichols windows for their menswear collections.

A collaboration with artist Andrew Salgado sees huge face backdrops in his distinctive figurative abstract style commissioned especially for the store. The windows are on the Sloane St side of the store and it seems a shame that they don’t front out to Knightsbridge as they are so strong.

Window display in London is pretty disappointing this season with all the budget cuts in retail so its a real treat to come across something with so much imagination and style.

Andrew Salgado paintings in Harvey Nichols spring 2013 menswear window display

The mannequins at Harvey Nichols are daubed in the same abstract style as the paintings by Andrew Salgodo

The intensity of the portraits is amazing in Harvey Nichols windows for spring 2013

Tyler is only the second non Caucasian portrait ever painted by Andrew Salgado – Harvey Nichols spring 2013 window display

Harvey Nichols window display for menswear spring 2013 – a collaboration with artist Andrew Saldago

Harvey Nichols window display for menswear spring 2013 with artist Andrew Saldago in the Sloane St side of the store

All posts copyright Smudgetikka – permission must be asked for reproduction 2009 – 2013

Stunning new designer kids boutique in Vienna, Bambini.

Posted on April 12, 2013 by smudgetikka

Just look at this new lush, amazing kids designer fashion store in Vienna, Bambini

Thanks to The Coolhunter for pointing me to this amazing store custom designed by Architektur Denis Kosutic, for the Vienna-based MB Fashion GmbH.

Kosutic and collaborators Mareike Kuchenbecker and Carina Haberl took a Wizard-of-Oz/Alice-in-Wonderland/Jules Verne inspiration and turned it monochrome to neutralise the environment. Everything inside was created especially for the store.

Stunning Bambini kids fashion store, Vienna, Austria

Beautiful outdoor living display at Liberty London Store plus new Donna Wilson tableware.

Posted on March 23, 2013 by smudgetikka

Such a stunning display in Liberty London store for the opening of their summer outdoor living area, not that there is much summer around in the UK today!

Customers have apparently already been asking to buy the amazing living chairs, books and glass globes from the display so Liberty might have to do something about that and turn the display team into manufacturers too!

There is a ton of great things to buy as well of course, it being Liberty and the classic floral print is used by Wild and Wolf for an amazing collection of watering cans, thermos flasks, tool sets etc.

On the floor below there is a new display for Donna Wilson’s ceramic table plates and very gorgeous they are too.

Evocative plants display at the new outdoor living dept in Liberty London for summer 2013

Chairs, books and filing cabinets have all been re-appropriated to house succulents in the Liberty London plant display for spring 2013

Plants come bursting out of mugs and paintings at the Liberty London Outdoor living dept.

A cool woven chair from Liberty store for outdoor living summer 2013

Colourful woven summer baskets and stools tumble in one corner at Liberty on the 4th floor.

Gorgeous ceramic platters with Charlie Harper designs are in the dining section at Liberty outdoor living

Gorgeous ceramic platters with Charlie Harper designs reworked by Todd Oldham for Fishs Eddy are in the dining section at Liberty outdoor living

Donna Wilson quirky and delightful dining plates and egg cups in the 3rd floor dining area at Liberty London store and online

All posts copyright Smudgetikka – permission must be asked for reproduction 2009 – 2013

Cafe – fantastic display of Brioche on this newly opened tea room on London’s Regent St

Posted on February 27, 2013 by smudgetikka

On my way to lunch at the much lauded Brasserie Zedel, more of which later, I was stopped in my tracks by the brioche display at the newly opened Cafe which seems to be part of the revamped Café Royal Hotel.

Such a simple window display and yet so striking, the hotel was redesigned by David Chipperfield and the cafe looks as if it must have been too with slick marble counters inside and an array of mouthwatering pastries displayed in minimal cabinets.

The oversized brioche display carried on for the whole front and to the side of the Regent St windows and just looked so striking against the simple French cafe curtains.

As for Brasserie Zedel, it is just brilliant, completely feels as if you are in Paris and the Art Deco style carpets and raised wallpaper print on the steps leading down are a perfect foil to the cavernous restaurant interior underground. It was heaving on a Tuesday lunchtime so make sure you book if you are planning on a visit soon.

Oversized brioche in a variety of styles are on display at the Cafe of the Hotel Cafe Royale

Oversized brioche in a variety of styles are on display in the window of the Cafe at the Hotel Cafe Royale

Simple yet so effective brioche display at Cafe on Regent St, London

Various shapes of brioche are in the window display and look mouthwatering at Cafe, part of the revamped Cafe Royal Hotel.

Inside the Cafe there is an equally mouthwatering but minimal display of baked goodies in lit rectangular cabinets.

Art deco influenced carpet and wallpaper at the entrance to Brasserie Zedel

All posts copyright Smudgetikka – permission must be asked for reproduction 2009 – 2012

Playtime Paris kids fashion trade fair, facts and figures for the Jan 2013 – 13th Edition

Posted on February 9, 2013 by smudgetikka

Press release from Playtime Paris regarding the facts and figures of the 2013 Jan edition.

Results of the 13th edition of Playtime Paris - A new record!

With more than 400 international brands presenting their Fall/Winter 2013/14 collections, this edition of Playtime Paris, which took place in January 26 – 28 at the Parc Floral, was the biggest one ever.

Indeed, in spite of the difficult economic context, Playtime attracted more visitors (+4,2% more than the January 2012 session and +19,7% more than July 2012) thereby becoming the children’s trade fair with the highest number of international buyers in the world (2821, or +6 points over January ‘12).

The crazy dream we had seven years ago of bringing together the most interesting players in the children’s and maternity universes under the same roof has been validated, and Playtime has become THE reference for brands as well as buyers.

Our approach, based on selective editing, also attracted more brands to this edition, particularly from the Decor/Design sector (+20% exhibitors) which was reinforced by the new PlayWithDesign section. Moreover, there was a significant rise in the number of shoe brands, a layette sec- tor that is always stronger in winter, and a greater presence of Nordic and British exhibitors.

This edition of Playtime welcomed PlayWithDesign, a unique exhibit of 10 leading designers who were asked to present a project based on the theme of «play» and specifically using foam as its material. www.playtimeparis.com/playwithdesign

THE DETAILS - Total number of visitors: 6,978

France 59,47% : International 40,43% : Europe (outside of France) 26,96% : The Americas 10,12% : Asia 2,56%: Africa 0,30% :Middle East 0,27%: Oceania 0,22%:

TOP 5 EUROPE - 1 Belgium 2 Italy 3 Great-Britain 4 Spain 5 The Netherlands

TOP 5 OUTSIDE OF EUROPE - 1 Japan 2 South Korea 3 Russia 4 Hong Kong /

Lebanon 5 China. The next edition of Playtime Paris will be on 6th -8th July 2013.