Monday, April 20, 2009

Art or commerce?


Sometimes I pass by a shop window and I think to myself "gee, that is really clever/beautiful/artsy". That's exactly what I thought when I saw this Diesel display in a store near Beaubourg. Of course, the black and white adds to the effect, but still... Maybe one day Window dressing will be fully considered as art. It's already a real job, and Window Dressers even write books.

38 comments:

  1. Gee, I agree it is very artsy, but for some reason I don't understand it. I'm sure someone will be able to explain it to me. I maybe need to know what is "New Diesel Wave" is.

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  2. Wow. That's striking. Very industrial, but so human, too. The pants are shaped somewhat like people after all. It's eerie.

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  3. Congratulations on your GF, Gramma Ann. The "New Diesel Wave" would be an advertising slogan. Diesel is a brand of blue jeans. I suppose your crown will be made of denim?

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  4. Petrea ~ Thank you, now the photo is starting to make sense. I am a bit old to be trying to wear blue jeans, but I did wear them in my day...;)

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  5. Yes it's very arty or is it a bit grim - like lots of people hanging? or..is that just me?

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  6. I'd quite like to be a window dresser myself. When I was young, I thought it would be a good promotion idea to sleep in a bed in a window all night. Then it was done. Pipped to the post. I'd still quite like to do that though. I'm getting my jarmies on ready for that offer......... :)

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  7. Lynn, I see that too. Wish I didn't, because it's a cool shot.

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  8. Quite, Petrea. I wonder if we're the only ones and what does it say about us? lol

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  9. I thought about it too, but I don't think that was what these window dressers were going for. It is a creative display, I'll give them that. I used to be in charge of window displays at the store I worked at and I loved how creative you could get with a window space. So fun!

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  10. Well, it's definitely artsy. Perhaps we're meant to see this as an underwater scene (as in "wave" & hence the sandy bottom) and these jeans have been hooked by young, hip fishermen.

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  11. I completely agree with you. Some windows really look fantastic and can be called art installations.

    You b/w photo of this is definitely art too!

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  12. Nice shot!

    If you call window dressing an art, then you can throw in many hairdressers, interior decorators, make-up artists, and I'm sure I forget many others.

    Diesel has pretty cool and edgy displays in San Francisco but I don't like their prices much ;)

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  13. Oh, what a fun photo. "Surf & Turf" (that is surfer dialogue from California). The addition of the sand makes the window display soft, and less hard-edge. I guess they are trying to tell us that these Diesel pants are a "great catch". It was fantastic beach weather today in San Francisco. Just glorious! Many people were out sailing. I know, Paris was under the rain, so I was blowing them California sun. The other day I watched them setting up the window displays at Saks Fifth Avenue here in San Francisco. All the manikins are holding plastic bags containing water and gold fish (fake gold fish). And the manikins have fish bowls on the tops of their heads (unless they changed that). They were working with it. Saks usually has very elaborate window displays. I just love them.

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  14. Great photo!
    .. And "nice" parallel with one of your old "rat" window... ;-))

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  15. I too thought it a bit grim, at first. Then I saw the sand under these hung pants and this changed my view!
    I'm always amazed to see how a little add can change a lot of things!

    For instance : as a non NNS of English, I had a look to the word 'hang' in my Englih dictionnary and there are many very different senses to the word :
    > Verb :
    accrocher. être accroché. planer. peser. faire faisander.
    > Expressions
    Hang it !: zut !
    To hang on: s'accrocher. attendre.tenir bon.résister.
    To hang up: suspendre.raccrocher.
    To hang back: tergiverser.hésiter.

    I really find it funny :)

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  16. Also the young 'hang out' Anonyme. Means just chilling out together. Some just say 'hang'.

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  17. Thank you Lynn.
    Phrasal verbs or the subtile charm of the English language...
    Not always easy to catch for NNS, believe me, but do I love to learn new ones, like 'hang out'!!
    Do you like hanging out with some friends or even by your own?

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  18. he he Anonyme, I do like to hang out with friends! It's not a phrase I use to be honest, it's usually for the younger. I offer to hang out with my son and his girlfriend sometimes just to show I'm cool. lol. They smirk and roll their eyes!

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  19. One of my favorite pastimes while in Paris was checking out the "ART" in the shop windows. I agree that it is an art. So many of my photos of Paris are of the window displays. I found them to be so interesting and some were absolutely beautiful. Of course, being Christmas they were extra special.

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  20. Retail design definitely can be an art--just ask the trained artists who now design retail displays, windows, etc. (You know who you are!)

    I love the term "window dresser".

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  21. Getting hooked on Diesel jeans is a healthy addiction ...

    I'm falling for them hook, line and sinker.

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  22. You are so right, Eric and in particular with Diesel. They have amazing displays. I was in NYC one time, in the shop - and wanted to take a photograph of an amazing 'hanging display' they had. It was stunning. Sadly I wasn't allowed to photograph it - I suppose because it was inside. I still buy Diesel clothes tho...Love your photograph, your eye and your words. It can most certainly be art in my view too.

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  23. It's definitely a cool shop window!
    I like the play on words "new wave" and the sand associated to it...
    I wonder if the light changes during the day (picture taken by night Eric?) or if there is always this black and white effect.

    To me it looks like a pale moonlight after the sunset on the beach...
    (Or maybe it's just that I can't wait to be on the beach in July!)

    Thib, bien vu! C'est vrai que c'est un bon parallèle...

    GF Gramma Ann!

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  24. Very catchy and interesting shop window.

    The work they do on Printemps and Galerie Lafayette windows during Xmas is pure art to me! Sooooo beautiful!!!

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  25. I am thrill to say tomorrow night I'm going to the Inauguration of
    The Year of France in Brasil!!!!!

    There will be a show from the French company Groupe F on the lagoon with fireworks, lights, music. They are expecting a big crowd there. Can't miss it!

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  26. Sounds great Monica. What a pity you haven't got a blog anymore! FB pics please? (by the way, thrilled not thrill xx)

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  27. Interesting shot and very well captured. Paris does have the most interesting store window displays in the world I am sure..but I do think I saw something similar to this in a Diesel or Levi's store here in SF. I used to be able to find things I liked in Diesel before they went "way out' there. Perhaps I should try them again sometime.

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  28. Anonyme: Don't forget

    to hang loose: stay relax
    a hang over : what happens the day after you drink too much
    to hang it up: to quit
    to hang a left: make a left turn
    to let it all hang out (I'll let someone else explain that one, double meaning)

    Some people have too many hang-up's ;)

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  29. What's up?
    uh, nuthin' just hangin' !

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  30. What's up?
    uh, nuthin' just hangin' !

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  31. What about a little song to illustrate ? Lifehouse - Hanging By A Moment
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFzUB_tX-Io

    Ok I'm pretty older than them but I'm hanging loose ;) Merci Tomate.

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  32. Monica "There will be a show from the French company Groupe F on the lagoon with fireworks, lights, music. They are expecting a big crowd there. Can't miss it!"

    We want a full report, with photos and stuff!

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  33. Excellent - you're right - wonderfully graphic and mysterious. Just goes to prove Paris will always surprise you... and often when you don't have your camera with you, annoyingly!

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  34. oooo je voudrais le travaille! i haven't been to your blog in quite a while, but am currently planning my trip to paris in a few weeks--time to brush up on your insights!

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