Downtown Bloomington, IL - Gigi Bottega
I hear this store being talked about all the time in my fashion major. Personally, I have never shopped here because I have heard that it is expensive, but I definitely want to give it a try after seeing this window! To be honest, I expected Gigi Bottega to be this boring, upscale store, but this window is so unique and fun! My eye was first drawn to the use of the shopping cart- how cool is that?! It's something one doesn't expect to find in a fashion window display, and I love it when window's have that! Their clothes are also very trendy, with different styles displayed. There is the eye-catching red dress that is more formal, the tight army green pencil skirt that with it's silhouette and color is very on trend right now, and the black skirt with the long gray cardigan that is perfect for fall weather! Another thing I like about this window is the option of the curtain in the back, so they could either have the background of the store, or pull the curtain to make a full backdrop. I don't think I have ever seen this in a store display window, and having that variety is great! The theme of this window is clearly fall with their props and decorations of pumpkins, leaves, gords, and plants. I like that they didn't just use mannequins and maybe one or two props in the window, but filled the window smaller fall props. It makes the window feel more unique, special, and brings out the theme of fall much more than just having fall clothes. The balance of the window is asymmetrical with one mannequin on one side and two on the other, and then the shopping cart fills the would be empty space in between. The props are also placed asymmetrically like they were just thrown in that way without even trying (like when you get that perfect "I tried, but it looks like I didn't" outfit that is so cool). I also think that even though the props seem to be placed randomly, the rhythm of this window allows the eye to travel smoothly from the bright red dress and cart over to the other two mannequins, and then you notice all the cool props on the bottom of the display. There are a few small details that I think should be fixed in this window. It's very obvious that the mannequin with the green skirt is crooked, which could have happened by accident over time of the display being up, but it should have been fixed right away. Something that seems really odd to me, and it throws me a bit, is the fact that that same mannequin is only wearing one shoe, and the other mannequins aren't wearing any at all... It just seems off to me, and a little weird. However, the products can all be seen clearly and are showcased well to be noticed, the props are very interesting and cool, and I rate this window highly in terms of the principles of design working together in unity!
xoxo~ Ashley
