[title]
Holiday window displays are a staple of the season in New York. But you're busy buying presents, seeing the sights, sampling our many exquisite hot chocolates. What's to be done? Luckily we've got you covered: we've scoped out all the major players and we're gonna tell you which holiday window display you simply can't miss. With brackets! Buckle up, it's about to get festive.
Two displays enter, one display leaves. Who's it gonna be?
Bloomingdale's
Bloomie's comes out swinging this holiday season with a concept that's out of this world. No I mean actually, that's the concept. "Out of this world" is the concept. How will we celebrate the holidays in space, where snow is somewhat harder to come by? Let's find out.
Courtesy Bloomingdale's/Joe Schildhorn/BFA.com
Courtesy Bloomingdale's/Joe Schildhorn/BFA.com
Courtesy Bloomingdale's/Joe Schildhorn/BFA.com
Holiday Cheer
B. Outer space does not immediately fill me with thoughts of jingle bells and menorahs, but I admit the Christmas tree being decorated by actual robot arms is a nice touch.
Spectacle
A. This is like a fever dream from someone who fell asleep listening to Christmas music while watching David Lynch's Dune. Why does that one guy have lobster claws? Are those marshmallows on a stick being toasted by a jet engine? What is happening?
Concept
B+. Look, you try coming up with a fresh idea for holiday window displays every year. Outer space? I'll take it.
Execution
A. Uhhh did you see the thing about the robot arms? Robot arms.
Overall: B+
Van Cleef & Arpels
With all due respect to [checks wikipedia] Alfred Van Cleef and Solomon Arpels, what exactly are we doing here? Minimalism has its place, but is that place a holiday window display in New York? Mais non, my French jeweler friends. It is not. Ceci n'est pas une holiday window display.
Courtesy Time Out/Ali Garber
Courtesy Time Out/Ali Garber
Courtesy Time Out/Ali Garber
Holiday Cheer
C-. I keep looking at these images, certain that I've missed some key piece of data that will make this display make sense, but...
Spectacle
D. Red? For Christmas? Groundbreaking.
Concept
F. Unless the concept was to look like Janelle Monáe's pants from that one video, this is gonna be a no.
Execution
C. They tried to do nothing and they did nothing. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Overall: D
Winner: Bloomingdale's by about a million light years.
