Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Vauxhall Fashion Scout!!!!

Selfridges Christmas Windows Review

I had the highest of expectations for Selfridges Christmas Windows. They are at the heart and soul of what makes London such a shopping Babylon, and they have inspiring and exciting windows displays all year round. Like their Knightsbridge rivals they took on a cartoon theme where clothing was turned into googly-eyed creatures. The main product being pushed to consumers were toys, some classically child friendly, others more sinister with disproportioned features.

The main focus of toys over clothing portrayed a Santa’s Grotto atmosphere. This may have been to highlight the presence of Santa himself, the main man, who has been residing inside the shopping institution for a few weeks now.

The windows each have a new activity or story being told so you can spend vast amounts of Christmas shopping time ogling the dolls houses and puppet shows. There is a lack of clothing being marketed through the display but does Selfridges even need to highlight their supreme range of designer and high street goodies? This year when both Harvey Nichols and Harrods had sold out of vital Paul Smith and Acne stocking fillers, I found everything I had longed for in the Oxford Street Mecca. Even if the child inside me was not thrilled by the Selfridges windows this holiday season, they still are doing us proud with up to the minute, glamazon merchandise; my family will be a very happy, fashionable family this Christmas!

Charlotte Summers

Martina Spetlova Teams Up with Pringle of Scotland

VFS exhibition designer Martina Spetlova has been picked up by 4 fashion experts as their one to watch young designer.  How exciting!

Martina is also busy working on the collaboration with Spanish Eco brand, Skunk Funk, and will be producing 6 looks for the S/S 2012 collection.

Well done Martina!! We can't wait to see Martina's creations next season!

Kenny Wang

Harvey Nichols Christmas Window Review

Harvey Nicks has an enormous reputation for the best Christmas window display in town. However this year I think they missed a trick! The theme appeared to be a sinister Pac-man headed party involving vast swatches of tacky tinsel and wrapping paper. I do sometimes say that tack is a good thing so maybe we can look at this raucous combination of in a positive light and celebrate the bad taste.

The partying figures are your standard mannequins but with the alarming twist that their heads are enormous Christmas Tree Baubles. They are lounging in bright and dazzling Christmas scenes surrounded by infinite sheathes of tinsel, glowing words, and designer merchandise. The traditional snowman, Christmas dinner, snow covered mountain and carols embody a classical scene. Every window is overloaded with shining decorations only appropriate for this festive period but the eerie characters that inhabit each scene over shadow this. Not only are their heads enormous but also their swollen eyes refer to those of Animé characters.

The combination of frenzied decoration and super natural cartoon characters produce an unsettling sense of a corrupt Christmas seen through intoxicated eyes. In Harvey Nichols’ credit, from a distance it creates a thoroughly festive and celebratory atmosphere and entices you closer to the store. This year they have been beaten by their neighbour Harrods, but with their great reputation I am sure they will be back on top in no time.

Charlotte Summers