It's a tradition I look forward to every Christmas. When the season roles around, I head up to the North Pole a.k.a. Midtown to gaze at the windows of the top department stores. First, I paid a visit to Henri Bendel, a New York accessory mecca. It wasn't their one large window that made an impression but rather the four miniature displays depicting the various rooms of a NY apartment. The minute details of each room were what set this seemingly ordinary window display into holiday display worthiness.
Race to the Fashion Line
Ice Ice Baby
Further uptown I headed to the finest department store on the block Bergdorf Goodman. Their windows are always nothing short of intricately detailed and luxurious looking. A window of carousels and gowns and a snow tundra theme were some of my favorites.
Come One, Come All
I Am My Hair
Off to Madison Avenue to check out a pop star's take on "Santa's" workshop. The hip, trendy department store Barneys paired up with the uber popular musician Lady Gaga and her stylist Nicola Formichetti to create Gaga's Workshop. Our first taste of a Gaga Christmas were the four windows each with its own theme. My two favorites were the "Hair" window made completely of wigs and the Gaga constellation window created by the digital agency Q4 where viewers could text in their holiday wishes to appear across the constellation.
Gaga's Version of a Mannequin
Oh Gaga Tree, Oh Gaga Tree
Mother Monster is Now a Spider
One step into Lady Gaga's Holiday Workshop, and I was blown away. Everything from the merchandise to the fixtures screamed (or sang) Gaga. The workshop, taking over an entire floor, was an explosion of color and design.
Not Your Average Display Fixture
Mother Monster Merchandise
Lady Gaga needs to rename her single to "Shop This Way" because the merchandise designed by Gaga and Nicola was addictive and fun to shop. There were Alexander McQueen armadillo shoes in chocolate, nail press on's, snow globes, leather gloves, skull candy heads, ornaments, jewelry and more. We had definitely saved the best holiday event for last. With such an impressive line up this year, not sure how next year can be topped.
Places of Interest:
Henri Bendel, 712 5th Ave. (at 56th St.), 1-800-HBENDEL
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