"Windows are the great unsung heroes of image communication: They are 3-D billboards bolted to the front of your store." In the early '80s, Simon Doonan changed our concept of "window shopping." Part elaborate artistic creation, part unbridled sales promotion, Doonan's...
[more]"Windows are the great unsung heroes of image communication: They are 3-D billboards bolted to the front of your store." In the early '80s, Simon Doonan changed our concept of "window shopping." Part elaborate artistic creation, part unbridled sales promotion, Doonan's windows heralded a new phase of consumerism that was not so much about amassing products as it was about decadent entertainment.
Raised in Reading, England, in the '60s, Doonan realized his calling in London, where he developed his punk-influenced aesthetic while working for various low-brow clothing stores. In 1977, what would become his signature style crept into the window: a group of tuxedos were posed around trashcans, surrounded by scampering, rhinestone-wearing stuffed rats. The scene raised more than a few eyebrows, one set belonging to the owner of Maxfield, a Los Angeles-based women's store.
A self-proclaimed camp enthusiast, Doonan embraced L.A. in the late '70s like a little kid heading for a new playground. Working at Maxfield, Doonan honed his subversive style, creating windows that reflected topical, L.A.-related stories. The combination of his innovative production sense and his average-shopper appeal led him to New York, where Wall Street's success and the materialism of the age had revitalized a demand for luxury goods.
Soon after his arrival in New York, Doonan met the leaders of the luxury revolution, the Pressman family. Barneys, the Pressmans' legendary store, was a premier seller of top-quality men's and women's clothing. Reflecting the Barneys image, Doonan created avant-garde windows that avoided gimmicky tendencies, instead embracing the personal aura of the showcased clothes. Barneys naturally attracted hip SoHo residents and artists, because its downtown location gave it an edge over uptown competitors. Establishing alliances with artists-turned-superstars like Basquiat and Schnabel, Doonan cultivated refined designs that reflected the neighborhood's cool attitude.
Artists and fashionistas alike began to notice Doonan's role in ushering in a new phase of the cutting-edge shopping experience. It wasn't until his grotesque celebrity caricatures hit Barneys' windows, however, that Doonan's name was made. Windows featuring Madonna, Jackie O., and Martha Graham (to name a few) were brilliant commentaries on America's obsession with media icons. Attracting large crowds, the project was the perfect contrast between the lurid kitschiness of the windows and the refinement of the store itself. In part, Doonan's talent can be characterized as an ability to recognize the apparent conflicts of fashion: its self-indulgence, its beauty, its hedonism, and its innovation.
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