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morning window shoppers,

you know how they say a picture is worth a thous& words?

well, in retail, a window display is worth at least that many words & millions of dollars. literally.

i know this firsth& from my time at apple, where i managed the budgets for our global window displays during product launches. while i can't share the exact numbers (hello, NDAs!), let's just say the amounts would make your jaw drop. the budget to turn the apple store logo red for one day could fund multiple startups.

designing, planning, & installing these windows? no small feat.

it’s a labor of love & an art form all its own.

so today's newsletter is a love letter to the art of retail window displays. a very visual appreciation of the stunning scenes that are transforming our streets into festive wonderl&s this winter.

these displays aren't just decorations – they're retail theater at its finest.

with roots in department store history, like macy’s iconic holiday windows. (fun fact: macy’s first windows were in 1874 with dolls posed in scenes from uncle tom’s cabin.)

someday, i dream of a museum dedicated to preserving these masterpieces!

but until then, i made this scroll for you.

i’m going live tomorrow!

but before we dive into the magic...

a quick plug: i'm hosting a free webinar tomorrow dec 17 @ 12PM ET with zipline (the g.o.a.t. retail comms & task management tools!).

we’ll be talking all about building winning business cases.

so if you've ever struggled to get budget approval for your retail projects (window displays included!), this one's for you. promise it won't be another boring powerpoint presentation – you’ll get retail real talk told via an analogy i’m very proud of along with lots of visuals.

plus live attendees get a solutions scorecard designed by yours truly.

sign up here & i hope to see you there tomorrow!

i’ll start by honoring my alma mater, apple. not exactly a holiday display—it’s for apple intelligence—but it’s giving sleek, smart, & i know my angles—especially on fifth ave.

obsessed with the polo bear coming to life with interactive displays in nyc, chicago, london, & tokyo. the adorb videos of nyc & london make me want to buy a sweater.

love the playfulness of tiffany’s bird on a rock statue paired with lighting the 30 foot, 3,300 lb fifth avenue snowflake tiffany blue (sadly one night only).

& & yes, there were matching frosty chic windows, because ofc.

bergdorf goodman is serving history major chic. their “toast of the town” windows celebrate 200 years of fifth avenue with scenes that are bougie & brainy.

macy’s: spreading the love. the herald square theme, “gifts we love,” partners with big brothers big sisters, featuring original art from mentees. heart = warmed.

meanwhile, macy’s sf said, “puppies, kittens, & philanthropy.” their union square windows showcase adorable, adoptable pets with the sf spca. cuteness overload.

imo bloomingdale’s sold out a bit this year for a “wicked good holiday” campaign to promote the movie.

bloomingdale’s even made santa suit’s green which appartenly has “parents seeing red & kids crying.” bah humbug indeed.

to the disappointment of many, saks cancelled their iconic light show after 20 years. but did at least give us these zodiac inspired gifts of delight.

but at least gave us zodiac-inspired windows. pisces rising energy, anyone?

this hermes window @ saks nyc is a checkmate in all the ways.

dior said, “under the sea, but make it couture.” their seahorse & coral christmas tree is stunning—& tbh, giving little mermaid energy.

gucci popped a snow globe in miami. because what says “design week” like a touch of whimsy in the least wintry place ever?

charlotte tilbury & harrods in in shanghai is giving valentine’s day for christmas.

cartier went cosmic with their red box galaxies. high jewelry & intergalactic vibes? yes, please.

nordstrom went inflatable this year(?) with playful characters created by local creatives. tbh im kinda confused by this choice. maybe a nod to inflation?

amazon entered the holiday windows chat this year at their nyc hq, the former home of lord & taylor, one of the og queens of window displays. they brought to life the 2024 amazon holiday kids gift book, featuring qr codes & roblox.

another untraditional entrant is raising cane which features their yellow lab mascot & an 18’ light up acrylic xmas tree, 500+ individually h& painted crinkle-cut fries, & inside a texas toast sofa 🤔 

louis vuitton’s flagship turned larger than life light up luxury luggage trunks legit looks like something made in chatgpt. but i’m here for it.

hudson yards went for sheer wattage: 2 million lights & a vibe so extra it’s almost blinding. it’s a literal forced glow-up.

the london department store, selfridge’s theme is “the more the merrier,” which by word choice alone immediately makes me a fan :)

harrods’ partnered with italian cashmere connoisseurs, loro piana, for its “workshop of wonders.” (fun fact: this is the same cashmere supplier used by j. crew, thank you to the book “the kingdom of prep” for that tidbit)

saving the best for last (& for my newsletter supporters)

with that our scroll comes to an end.

thanks for making merry with me on this window w&ering adventure!

if you're craving an even more immersive experience (tourists bumping into you & all), here's a dreamy walking tour of fifth ave's holiday windows. it's almost like being there, minus the frozen toes & shoulder checks from shoppers with too many bags 😉

& if i missed one of your favorites of this year, please do reply back with it. i clearly love a well-done window display!

be merry,

MacK

p.s. if this festive eye candy made your inbox a lil brighter, will you share the sparkle? forward it to a fellow retail romantic or a friend who’d love a little “happy holidays, thinking of you” note. it took me 7 hours to pull this together, but sharing it takes just 7 seconds — spread the cheer! ✨