I think Bergdorf has a total of 14 windows (edit: 18 windows!). What a task to complete these scenes. They change over several times a year – the holiday windows are worth a visit. The 5th Avenue showcases will mesmerize you, but don't forget to go around the other two sides! I wish you could get a sense of the dimension on these – lots of layers, lots of huge props, and tiny details.
The backdrops for these windows are enlargements from one of my favorite clipart books. I adore the white windows on 5th Avenue, but I swooned at all the black&white&red on 57th.
We make the journey by train into the city every December just to see the windows, but we were lucky to catch them this year in November. Hope you've enjoyed the illusion from your chair, wherever you are. It's been a visually intensive few posts but I wanted to show you as much as I could – it's hard to capture the total wonderfulness with my humble camera, the glare, and other window gazers about. How dare they get in my way? Here are a few more from 5th Avenue, and 58th Street.
All credit for the Bergdorf Goodman holiday windows goes to Linda Fargo and David Hoey and their team of visual magic makers. I saw David directing positioning of props and really wanted to interrupt for a fangirl moment and autograph but I could tell he was trying to beat the clock. Very cool to see him right out on the street while hands behind the glass moved things around in the larger-than-life assemblage art. I have seen a few local newscasts covering the window displays with sneak peeks into the workrooms. This morning they interviewed David and he said it takes 9 months to prepare the Christmas windows, and they do it to entertain and inspire. Mission accomplished!
Linda has a book, Dreams Through the Glass, that is hard-to-find (copies go for around $100). I wish they would release a yearly publication with professional photos of the overall windows, the details and secrets hidden in each vignette, and some behind-the-scenes shots. I'd buy it, wouldn't you?
Oh, and I dug up a photo taken of the phrenology heads from the 2006 holiday windows, wonder where they'll show up next:
EDIT: an article about Fargo and Hoey from 2007 HERE.
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