See the Most Dazzling Holiday Windows in New York
Photo: BFA
When it comes to this year’s holiday window displays, New York City’s retail behemoths seem determined to outdazzle each other. The windows at Barneys New York currently feature live ice-carving, while Bulgari has draped a brilliant LED necklace across its Fifth Avenue store. Macy’s is celebrating the 50th anniversary of A Charlie Brown Christmas with high-tech interactive flair, Bergdorf Goodman is adorned in colorful Swarovski crystals, and Saks Fifth Avenue is a glittering palace accented with luminous blue lights.
In the slideshow below, creative directors and window designers explain what went into this year’s preparations. Click ahead to visit Macy’s, Barneys New York, Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Lord & Taylor, Bulgari, Henri Bendel, and Hermès.
Macy’s Herald Square: ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ Roya Sullivan, Macy’s national window director: “This year more than ever I paid attention to t...
Macy’s Herald Square: ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ Roya Sullivan, Macy’s national window director: “This year more than ever I paid attention to the techniques and drawing style of Charles Schultz. The challenge was to translate his 2-D renderings to 3-D without losing his aesthetic. We made sure to keep the expressions of the characters very similar to the originals, but added sculpted heads and hands and made every outfit by hand. The most fun window is the piano scene, where the audience is able to play the keys (on the window glass) along with Schroeder. This is where we have the original character involved with today’s tech-savvy kid who enjoys an interactive experience.”
Photo: John Lamparski/Getty Images/2015 John Lamparski
Macy’s Herald Square: ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ Photo: John Lamparski/Getty Images/2015 John Lamparski
Macy’s Herald Square: ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images/2015 Getty Images
Barneys New York: ‘Chillin’ Out’ Dennis Freedman, Barneys New York creative director: “This year we created a 35-foot, fully functioning ice lock...
Barneys New York: ‘Chillin’ Out’ Dennis Freedman, Barneys New York creative director: “This year we created a 35-foot, fully functioning ice locker [shown on the next slide]. Consistently maintaining freezing temps, the ice locker has allowed us to use real ice as a creative medium. Through partnering with Okamoto Studio, we were able to continue in the tradition of incorporating live performance into the window displays, with daily live carvings of traditional holiday icons and motifs.”
Photo: Tom Sibley / Courtesy of Barneys New York
Barneys New York: ‘Chillin’ Out’ Shintaro Okamoto, founder of Okamoto Studio and ice carver (pictured here, wearing a Moncler Gamme Bleu jumpsuit...
Barneys New York: ‘Chillin’ Out’ Shintaro Okamoto, founder of Okamoto Studio and ice carver (pictured here, wearing a Moncler Gamme Bleu jumpsuit designed by Thom Browne): “We are sculpting penguins of all shapes and poses as the default design that’s cohesive with the overall theme of the windows. That said, we plan to also carve lots of other designs that celebrate winter, from polar bear cubs to intricate snowflakes to New York landmarks. Animals are most fun to watch being carved.”
Photo: COPYRIGHT OWNED AND ADMINISTERED BY TOM SIBLEY/USE WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION PROHIBITED tom@tomsibley.com
Barneys New York: ‘Chillin’ Out’ Winter Brilliance by Dale Chihuly.
Photo: Neil Rasmus.com/BFA
Bergdorf Goodman: ‘Brilliant Holiday’ David Hoey, Bergdorf Goodman's senior director of visual presentation: "With the Swarovski collaborati...
Bergdorf Goodman: ‘Brilliant Holiday’ David Hoey, Bergdorf Goodman's senior director of visual presentation: "With the Swarovski collaboration, we expected that our windows would sparkle to the nth degree this year, but after nine months of production, even we were surprised at the blockbuster effect of over 7 million crystals in one place at one time."
Photo: Ricky Zehavi/Ricky Zehavi © 2015
Bergdorf Goodman: ‘Brilliant Holiday’ Photo: Ricky Zehavi/Ricky Zehavi © 2015
Bergdorf Goodman: ‘Brilliant Holiday’ Photo: Ricky Zehavi/Ricky Zehavi © 2015
Bloomingdale’s: ‘Holiday Through the Senses’ Jeff Leatham, florist and Bloomingdale's window designer: “Classic holiday moments and the spirit of...
Bloomingdale’s: ‘Holiday Through the Senses’ Jeff Leatham, florist and Bloomingdale's window designer: “Classic holiday moments and the spirit of the season have been captured through an imaginative mix of floral design and faceted mirrored sculptures to stimulate each of the five senses."
Photo: Billy Farrell.com/BFA
Bloomingdale’s: ‘Holiday Through the Senses’ Photo: Billy Farrell.com/BFA
Bloomingdale’s: ‘Holiday Through the Senses’ Photo: Billy Farrell.com/BFA
Saks Fifth Avenue: ‘The Winter Palace’ Mark Briggs, executive vice-president, HBC Creative: “New York would not be the same if it weren’t for the...
Saks Fifth Avenue: ‘The Winter Palace’ Mark Briggs, executive vice-president, HBC Creative: “New York would not be the same if it weren’t for the whimsical lands and twinkling décor of the holiday windows. I am excited for sightseers to see our very unique creations this year.” Photo: Billy Farrell Agency
Saks Fifth Avenue: ‘The Winter Palace’ Photo: Billy Farrell Agency
Saks Fifth Avenue: ‘The Winter Palace’ Photo: Billy Farrell Agency
Lord & Taylor: ‘A Few of Our Favorite Things’ Roe Palermo, Lord & Taylor divisional vice-president of merchandise presentation: “Our wind...
Lord & Taylor: ‘A Few of Our Favorite Things’ Roe Palermo, Lord & Taylor divisional vice-president of merchandise presentation: “Our windows are initially constructed off-site, then installed and finished in the basement of our Fifth Avenue flagship. In the days leading up to the unveiling, they are raised into the street-level windows on hydraulics — a unique feature of the 101-year-old landmarked building.”
Photo: Cindy Ord/2015 Getty Images
Lord & Taylor: ‘A Few of Our Favorite Things’ The animated gingerbread kingdom.
Photo: Astrid Stawiarz/2015 Getty Images
Lord & Taylor: ‘A Few of Our Favorite Things’ A larger-than-life cuckoo clock.
Photo: Cindy Ord/2015 Getty Images
Bulgari Bulgari's New York flagship debuted the store's first Diva Collection necklace installation, which is illuminated by 62,900 LED lamps.
P...
Bulgari Bulgari's New York flagship debuted the store's first Diva Collection necklace installation, which is illuminated by 62,900 LED lamps.
Photo: courtesy of Bulgari/courtesy of Bulgari
Bulgari Photo: courtesy of Bulgari/courtesy of Bulgari
Henri Bendel Pina Ferlisi, Henri Bendel creative director: “This year we wanted our window to feel like a whimsical townhouse foyer. We partnered...
Henri Bendel Pina Ferlisi, Henri Bendel creative director: “This year we wanted our window to feel like a whimsical townhouse foyer. We partnered with Izak Zenou, our illustrator of 20 years, to highlight dozens of framed illustrations of our Bendel girls. What remains the same is our iconic brown-and-white-striped packaging and hatboxes.”
Photo: Craig Barritt/Getty Images/2015 Getty Images
Henri Bendel Photo: Craig Barritt/Getty Images/2015 Getty Images
Hermès: Flâneur Forever Greta's Party installation by Nina Saunders.
Inspired by the store's annual "Flâneur Forever&quo...
Hermès: Flâneur Forever Greta's Party installation by Nina Saunders.
Inspired by the store's annual "Flâneur Forever" holiday-window theme, these pieces are upholstered in Hermès furnishing fabrics, including natural prints from the late artist Robert Dallet. Photo: Matthew Carasella
Hermès: Flâneur Forever Nina Saunders, Hermès window designer: "I thought about the festive season, the spirit of bringi...
Hermès: Flâneur Forever Nina Saunders, Hermès window designer: "I thought about the festive season, the spirit of bringing people together to have fun, a party. The Conga dance seemed perfect as it offered the party to have continuity in the windows. As the sculptures developed over a year they became imagined characters with a name and a story to tell. Often when I work with furniture, especially chairs, most are secondhand-bought at junk shops and auctions, I feel they have huge potential for expression. Before you even think, your body relates to them, so you are ahead. They have had a life; they express class, time, and place. I wonder who sat in them, what the house was like, and what happened next." Photo: Matthew Carasella
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