Christmas in New York: People come
from all over to take that fabled walk down Fifth Avenue; to gaze at the
magnificently decorated windows and marvel at the sparking string lights that
seem to wrap every signpost and street lamp. Even the most jaded New Yorkers
have to crack a smile at the witticisms of every department store’s theme(s) of
the season. As my last adventure before leaving the city for the holidays, a
friend and I decided to dedicate an entire day to strolling down Madison and 5th
Avenue to witness the beautiful madness for our selves.
We started the morning over coffee
and breakfast at Sant Ambroeus on the Upper East Side. Stuffed to the brim
(pastries may or may not have been involved here) we fought every urge to
wonder into each store that struck our fancy.
Nonetheless, we eventually made it
down to Barneys where the ‘Baz Dazzled’ fanfare was in full swing. The theme
for this year was a collaborative effort between the legendary film director
Baz Luhrmann (With movies like The Great
Gatsby and Moulin Rouge under his
belt, you know that man has a
petulance for over the top), his costume designer wife, Catherine Martin, and
Barney’s own Dennis Freedman.
My first glimpse of Barneys’ 2014
display came a few weeks before Thanksgiving as I was walking home from a
friends’ apartment late one evening. They had just finished assembling the
golden arch of candy canes and woodland creatures. Centered above the main
entrance on Madison Avenue was a crest of sorts with an inscription reading ‘A
Life Lived in Fear Is A Life Half Lived.’ A nice sentiment to begin with, but
this motto really struck a chord when paired with the final product. Baz’
magical world was full of mythical creatures, breathtaking ice skaters and
sinister-looking mechanic snow owls. Windows in constant motion; the perfect
reflection of an entirely different kind of character: the holiday shopper in
their ever-moving states of hysteria.
Bergdorfs theme of the year was
simple. ‘Inspired.’ This single
(albeit vague) word was the starting point for David Hoey and his team of visual
merchandisers. They chose to take this concept and work it around a celebration
of the arts. Hoey described the end result as an “Eight-lesson course in art
appreciation.”
The main windows took on artistic endeavors
such as literature, architecture, film, dance, and theatre. Simple enough. But
as is to be expected with Bergdorfs, there was an added visual twist.
This twist came in the form of the
unusual materials that were used to create each display. For example, the
literature presentation was constructed entirely out of soft fabrics while the
architecture window was made up on paper and old blueprints. The overall effect
was bewitchingly pretty and is sure to linger on in the minds of anyone who has
the luxury to see it. That is of course, if you can actually get past the
throngs of tourists pressing their fingers and noses against the glass long
enough to witness the spectacle.
