French photographer Christophe Jacrot has captured NY´s scene from the final week of last October in his series “New York In Black.” Whether were watching on television, or among the displaced, something we all can agree on was the strange and eerie mood of Lower Manhattan during the week in which darkness descended upon New York City and wiped us all off the power grid (
Oscar Niemeyer, the greatest Brazilian architect who helped to shape the 20th century and mankind's vision of the future, died on Wednesday aged 104, ten days before his 105th birthday. The celebrated Brazilian architect whose flowing designs infused Modernism with a new sensuality and captured the imaginations of generations of architects around the world.
His curvaceous, lyrical, hedonistic forms helped shape a distinct national architecture and a modern identity for Brazil that broke with its colonial and baroque past.
He was more important than Santa
Christmas will be upon us in a week or so. Before the Grinch takes hold of me I would like to share a memory or two of Christmas past. Whether we want to admit it or not many of our fondest holiday stories are retail related. Christmas, children and retail have gone hand in hand since some enterprising retailer first donned a Santa suit.
I was born in Cleveland, Ohio and although Cleveland has been a national joke since our river burned, it was a very different place when I was a child. Downtown Cleveland was dense with varied retail and a Christmas shopping trip was a much-anticipated event Cleveland’s three major holiday decor musts were; Halle Brothers, Higbee’s and Sterling Linder Davis. My maternal grandfather spent his entire working life at Halle’s and both my mother and her sister did sales stints there as well. Even though Halle’s was the highest end in Cleveland [and my family was not] we were loyal customers, due to the employee discount which my mother took full advantage of. Halle’s was always a part of our family.” A treasure in Store” they used to say.
Halle’s always had the edge on its competitors at the holidays, due largely to their Santa’s right hand man. A month before Christmas Cleveland’s most famous holiday ambassador would start appearing on television after the local news, MR. JING A LING, a brilliant advertising concept. Upon reflection he was sort of an info-mercial, living advent calendar, talk show host. As I remember he would interview children with a jovial Dickensesque abandon that works so well at Christmas and promise his transfixed audience, [me and my sister] a key to Halle’s seventh floor toy dept. Hence his name, the sound of keys he always carried on his arm..The song is still ringing my mind some 50 years later…….
Higbees had the famous Twigbee shop,[for children only] and served childrens meals in little cardboard toy stoves, Sterlings had the city’s tallest tree and Francis the talking mule, Halle’s trumped them all. The great department stores are gone now, but the success of their Christmas efforts have become legend in the minds of many.
Sterlings Live Tree was a must.
The Silver Grille at Higbees..mini stoves for all..
On a sad note Our condolences to the family and friends of Pamela Keyes, a friend and member of the Rocky River high schools class of 1970.
Ziegfeld Follies
This year the V.M. team at B.G.did it again. The theme is Follies,Ziegfeld,Busby Berkeley and “Some Like It Hot” [the perennial Norma Jean] every Display teams favorite, even Sally Rand makes an appearance. It’s an art deco extravaganza befitting the history and location of this iconic store. My congrats to David Hoey and his team for a job very well done.
check out this link for more..http://blog.bergdorfgoodman.com/windows/holiday-windows-2012-the-bg-follies#ad-image-4
Marta Altés (Barcelona, 1982), studied graphic design in Barcelona and after working there as a graphic designer for almost five years, Altés decided to pursue her interest for illustration. The artist moved to England and joined the MA in Children’s Book Illustration at the Cambridge School of Art.
Such a simple idea, but illustrator Marta Altes has made it into an artsy series of work, pencil shavings at its finest.
This One Wins
Yes it’s that time again……Who would have ever thought 20 years ago when the Christmas Sweater was considered by fashionistas to be the absolute lowest garment on earth, and that today they would be the height of fashion during the holiday season. I remember well the having to drag them out every year along with the boxed cards. The ones that did not sell were always packed away with the christmas decor to wait out the year to try to sell them again. They were never “in” fashion consequently they never went “out” of fashion.
Matt Damon is even wearing one
All things in fashion are at times unexplainable, although in this case it seems to be due to the coastal urban “tasteful” crowd who are reveling in sheer ugliness of the classic Noel garment. Let me remind you that in some quarters [south of the Mason Dixon] line they are still de rigueur for holiday festivities.
A toast to my sweater
Many of these beauties show up in thrift shops around this time, although due to their recent popularity I bet the prices have soared, especially for the truly hideous examples. I can’t believe it but even I am considering prowling around for one. No matter what your true reason for donning gay apparel, the season is for laughs or compliments accepted gracefully. No one need know your intent. shop early to bag a good one.
A Very Merry Christmas to You
In a project whose title speaks for itself, Brooklyn-based photographer Henry Hargreaves in collaboration with food stylist Caitlin Levin literally deep-fried a series of electronics equipment but don´t you worry, no technologies were harmed in the shooting of this project. Although the gadgets look real, they're actually recreations made with a material called foamcore, which were then dipped in batter and dunked in oil.
A bit of controversy has swirled around the Brits banning Dior’s latest campaign for the “New Look” mascara. I find this humorous on so many levels.
1. Has there ever been truth advertising?
2.The Brits are world-famous for televising the most vulgar shows ever produced, remember Benny Hill ? so why be upset with this.
3. For the most part most women have become skeptical when it comes to cosmetic claims, notice I did say “most women”
4. Dior must be turning over in his grave due to the use of ”New Look” for mascara. In the annals of fashion history his “The New Look” after the war is legendary.
5. If there was a full disclosure mandate in advertising there would be no advertising
6. If there was no advertising there would be no commerce.
7. If there was no commerce we would revert to a “Hunter- Gatherer” society
8. If we reverted the world would be a better place.
9. Maybe the Brits are right after all.
Upon occasion a window change can lead to a new direction or maybe even real “Art”. I think I hit upon something today.Due to the various and endless opinions on what is “Art” and what is not, I will leave it to the viewer to decide [which is where it belongs anyway]
It’s Sunday afternoon and have a window change coming up in less than 10 hours, what to do? much to my surprise I came up with a good attention-getter [I constantly amaze myself that I still have what it takes] The product is Fall suits and jackets in shades of blue, hence my tag is “True Blue” OK.. now what does true blue conger up? The first thing that came to mind are dogs,”Mans best friend” they are certainly true blue. Why not? everyone loves canines, can’t lose. First to Google then to Staples for printing, three hours later and I have a pack of pooches, mounted and cut out, little “standees” like in movie house lobbies.
“Sit.Stay” That’s a good boy
As I was cleaning the spray glue off the poor war-torn hands it occurred to me what a great photo opp they would make if I took them in front of my house and posed them around my planter and sidewalk tree [perfect i thought, every hipster in the hood lets them pee out there, now is my chance, a pee-less pooch or maybe a dog scare crow. Anyway it will be fun,what the hell.
Com’on Maggie do it for Daddy
Much to my surprise the effect was rather good,I spent a long time looking for above head for-shortened photos [easier to cut out who needs all those limbs] It looks like a dog, a strange dog, but none the less humorous and humor sells.
“Rolf” says stay away from my tree
I was rather proud of my accomplishment so I posted on Face Book my friends all loved it, some even labeled it “Art”
I think I’m on to something here or is it just another window display, maybe I’m channeling Patti Page. All that remains to be seen, although if the question. “How much is that doggie in the window?” pops up after I install this, I will know I crossed over…”Display as Art” and a new career. WOOF!
