As I passed store windows, I started to notice a certain shape appearing continuously, the star. Okay so I know it sounds like an obvious thing to point out, because we see the star motif turn up year upon year, every Christmas however I feel the star motif is going crop up even more than usual this festive season. The star motif has been on the rise over the past year and therefore I feel this Christmas will be the time for the star to shine.
As I stepped out of the Oxford Circus underground station I headed straight for Zara. I noticed that each of their window displays featured a metal star on the floor by the mannequin. The display I photographed (above) is simplistic and minimalistic. There is only one star, and with it being just a neutral metal colour tone, although it has connotations of the Christmas period, I feel that it is still very subtle. I believe that the window wouldn't look out of place in March as it isn't overbearingly Christmas orientated.
Next door to Zara, Bershka also had a window display featuring the star motif. The window (right) was busy and full particularly when compared to the likes of Zara's minimalistic display. The stars which featured in Bershka's window had fitted in led circus lights. We have seen these lights soar in popularity over the past 6 months. Although the stars also have a neutral colour palette, they are given a more festive feel due to the lights. However I do feel that if I took one of these stars from Bershka's window it wouldn't look out of place in my living room, as similar to the Zara display it doesn't scream 'Christmas' to me. This leads back to my point that I believe stars are not just for Christmas, but in fact are here to stay. The reason these displays don't seem to be purely Christmas orientated, could possibly be due to the fact that we have become used to seeing the star motif outside of the Christmas period, and therefore it doesn't have such strong links with the festive season which it had before.
To the left is a photograph I took of Fossils' window display. I really like how they have slightly adapted the star shape here and although there is just the one star in the window, it is the motif which catches the shoppers attention as it is quite oversized compared to the mannequin and is central of the display. I think that the gold colour of the star links it with the festive period, as this is the traditional, original colour which we associate with the Christmas star, the one from the nativity story, the one we might traditionally find on top of the Christmas tree. The star is being held in this display whereas within both Zara and Bershka's window displays the star/s are located within the surroundings or backdrop. The Zara example I have pointed out is very different to this example by Fossil as the star is not what the eye is drawn to, because of its positioning within its display.
I felt that out of all of the window displays I had come across on Oxford Street, Debenhams had the strongest focus on the star motif. Each window had an array of stars surrounding the mannequin/s, each with a different colour palette, one pink, one blue and one green. I felt that these window displays (above) had much stronger connotations of the festive period than the other windows I had come across. I think this is because the stars are bright, shiny and reflective, some even lighting up, all features we associate with Christmas. Debenhams also displayed oversized perfume bottles within stars to promote them as presents.
Although it was London where I initially picked up on the star motif trend within visual merchandising, the motif can be found throughout many high streets outside of London also. Walking to work in Nottingham City centre I was drawn to Hobbs' window display (right) which had a focus on the Star motif. Initially I was drawn in by the stars hanging from the ceiling and on the floor, I really like how the star motif has been adapted here, very simple and classic, reflecting the brand. However the aspect I particularly like about this window display is the quote in gold lettering on the window itself, the colour of it linking to the stars. The quote reads 'We are all of us stars, & born to shine'. I really like that this display is linked with the star motif however not just through the motif itself, but actually through the text as well.
I felt that out of all of the window displays I had come across on Oxford Street, Debenhams had the strongest focus on the star motif. Each window had an array of stars surrounding the mannequin/s, each with a different colour palette, one pink, one blue and one green. I felt that these window displays (above) had much stronger connotations of the festive period than the other windows I had come across. I think this is because the stars are bright, shiny and reflective, some even lighting up, all features we associate with Christmas. Debenhams also displayed oversized perfume bottles within stars to promote them as presents.
Although it was London where I initially picked up on the star motif trend within visual merchandising, the motif can be found throughout many high streets outside of London also. Walking to work in Nottingham City centre I was drawn to Hobbs' window display (right) which had a focus on the Star motif. Initially I was drawn in by the stars hanging from the ceiling and on the floor, I really like how the star motif has been adapted here, very simple and classic, reflecting the brand. However the aspect I particularly like about this window display is the quote in gold lettering on the window itself, the colour of it linking to the stars. The quote reads 'We are all of us stars, & born to shine'. I really like that this display is linked with the star motif however not just through the motif itself, but actually through the text as well.
I found it interesting how each of the 4 stores I have pointed out here have focused on the same motif within their visual merchandising however, each window has a completely different feel. So keep a look out for the star motif and how stores interpret it differently within visual merchandising and window displays, particularly within the run up to Christmas!
Love, Isabella x
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