Pink boxes rise at Juicy Couture

Juicy Couture is ringing in the season! We can't help but love these bright pink boxes with white trim set for their holiday windows. With a variety of sizes and shapes these towers serve as risers and props.

With a tie in to their holiday packaging - this simple marketing tool makes us hope these boxes are sitting under our tree this holiday!

ID'ing Our Curves at Levi's

Tape measure curtains are hanging in Levi's fall windows to promote the brand's Curve ID category. Ladies of all shapes and sizes can be measured and fitted to the right jean. We love the idea and love their windows just as much!

Pictured here are some compelling day and night photos of these effective windows - another great backdrop idea!

We're ready to go get our Curves IDed! How about you?

Attack of the Little People...again

We've been seen this visual trend all over the city! The use of the articulated manniken to highlight products.

To introduce her new fragrance Diane, at Bloomingdales, Diane Von Furstenberg will be hosting an event and used them to help announce it.

We find these little mannikens charming and when used well, enhance a window in a simple way. Here they are awaiting an autograph. Stop by and see them for yourself!

The CDW Fan Club Grows

This is baby Katherine, our newest CDW fan, all the way from Guatemala! She looks so cute here in her CDW Merchants branded onsie and we sure appreciate her support.

Send us a picture of your latest creation in their CDW threads and we'll include them here. Thanks Katherine for being the newest mini-member of our fan club!

What's behind the curtain at retail?

Most of us think of curtains in the traditional sense with drapes of fabric used to give shade to our windows. In visual merchandising the use of a "curtain" can be widely interpreted and help lend excitement to a store window.

Here are a number of ways stores create a "draped window" - ranging from the traditional curtain to much looser uses of the word. Whether it's to tie in a color or pattern as The Gap has done to highlight it's gingham collection or to add visual interest as seen here with a beaded curtains at Sears Kardashian shop in shop.

Curtains, traditional or in alternative forms, are an effective and simple tool to add dimension to a visual presentation.

CDW Merchants newest fan!

We love our customers and their babies - so we made up some onsies to celebrate. One of our customer's sent us a photo of his latest creation wearing one. If you have a new addition - be sure to let us know and send us a photo. We're trying to build the fan base!

CDW Merchants goes 'bird watching at Global Shop 2011

Global Shop, the retail trade show, took place in Las Vegas at the end of March and we were there for our 6th year.
using a theme of birds and birdhouses, we highlighted a broad range of capabilities, including distressing techniques, temporary wooden flooring, custom painted wooden signs, rope props, hand assembly work, covered books, cut and sew to name a few.

Using the current trend of blending old with new, we combined materials that were new and shiny with those of a dull vintage nature all with an "urban rustic" style.

We enjoyed visiting with customers and meeting new people and hope to add YOU to our growing roster of top retailers.

Manikins take over Hermes

Hermes' current windows showcase their heritage craftsmanship and it seems the small manikins are doing all the work!

Wearing little aprons made of leather and canvas, these small articulated wooden people are lending a hand to make saddles, leather goods and scarves.

Fantasy windows are great, especially after the holidays when we see so much emphasis on SALES - this is a much needed treat.

Fabric Pouches from Hubert

Sometimes you need a unique way to package something - or you need to give or send something in an unusual shape. This is when a pouch is a great solution -
It makes a great presentation AND it's reusable!

And these mixed packs available exclusively from the Hubert catalog come in a wide range of fabrics - sizes ranging from small jewelry size, to long wine bottle gift sleeves.

For more information - check them out for yourself.

http://www.retailresource.com/pres258878/Fabric-Mini-Pouches.html

Holiday recap at Kate Spade

WOW! What a busy season it was. Forgive the long delay on posting.

Thought we would take a minute to look back on some of the holiday displays for inspiration and thoughts for 2011.
it's never too early to start thinking Christmas - especially if you have big plans!

Kate Spade was all about bling and abundance - loved the over sized ornaments and stacked gifting tables with gold trays to keep items organized. and how can you not love those penguins?

for more photos - see Racked's write up

http://ny.racked.com/archives/2010/12/24/kate_and_andy_and_their_always_charming_holiday_vignettes.php

Eddie Bauer does Christmas in Steamboat!

using the theme of a snowy winter land in Colorado, Eddie Bauer has dressed their stores in festive boxes and ribbons and adorned them with lights - all to a pleasing holiday effect.

After shopping - hit the slopes!

Give a hand to Restoration Hardware for a simple idea done well

The best thing about ideas that have been used before is the various creative interpretations.

In this case Restoration Hardware wanted to merchandise its new cashmere hand warmers for holiday and needed something to hold them up. They took wooden hands but stained them so as to appear aged or distressed in keeping with their current in-store look.

We find the warm look of the wood with the knit of the product and the coolness of the grey packaging very eye catching.
And THAT is the goal of visual merchandising.

A.R.E.'s Retail Environments - Focus on Lighting

CDW Merchants was included in the November /December issue of A.R.E's magazine Retail Environments in a product focus on lighting. An industrial inspired light strip done for a recent Levi's window joined other new innovations in the world of light display.

For more information - see http://www.retailenvironments.org/

Levi's shines the light on curves

Promoting its new jeans fit for curvier figures, Levi's used light bulbs and tape measure curtains to say "hotness comes in all shapes and sizes". It's a simple campaign with a clear, direct message and the additional of large scale window writing along with marketing and props helped light up the message.

for more information http://www.levi.com/

Guess who's name is in lights....

Guess has been putting a lot of emphasis on it's visual merchandising and we are taking note!

Seen here in Seattle and Dallas, these stores are highlighting the new fits on denim as well as the brands glitzy ad campaign.

The "laundry" with it's printed hanger covers, laundry bags and bright red ironing board covers is a cute theme and cleaver way to promote Fall's great new denim line.

Plus all the dramatic lighting and signage makes for a real eye catcher.

Guess goes Pink for October

In an ongoing effort to raise awareness of and money for research for the cure, October has been named Breast Cancer Awareness Month and sponsors continue to call attention to this important campaign.

Here 'Guess by Marciano' put a new twist on the classic pink ribbon, which draws attention to the cause - using a curtain of pink ribbons as back drop to it's window. The window features products that Guess will donate a portion of sales to help fund research.

Pretty in pink! (and purposeful too.)