Expanding My Field of Vision

I'm beginning to feel a bit like Jack Kerouac: I'm “on the road again.” In the past year I've been everywhere from Denver to Dusseldorf and many places in-between. Previously, with camera in hand, I've been chased out of the best of stores all over the world. And the iPhone has changed everything; I've taken more shots of store interiors with Apple technology in the last 12 months than with my trusty Nikon in the last 12 years. Most recently I found myself photographing rows of caryatids, Corinthian columns, cupolas and what seemed the dome of the Pantheon. It must have been Rome… Oh wait, it was Las Vegas, the world of make believe and faux-everything from iconic French towers, New York City skyscrapers and ancient Italian cities.  Large complexes seem to be the order of the day in this desert town: The footprint of the Sands, Venetian and Palazzo complex is larger than that of the Pentagon. Like most others on the Strip, it includes casinos, theaters, hotels, convention centers and a long list of retailers — some well known and some not. And I've seen them all, including the good, the bad and the ugly.  And while the illusion of Rome remains just that, the message on the facade of the Forum Shops, part of the Caesars Palace complex of hedonism and entertainment, reads “There's no place like Rome.”

But it was a three-day trip to Vegas, not Rome. No, not to play the slots or spin the roulette wheel; and honestly, I wouldn't know the difference between a craps table and a table of crepes. I was there to speak at an interesting event, Vision Expo West, a trade show geared toward the optical industry. I found myself speaking to a hall packed with opticians and ophthalmologists — they all sell eyewear and they all want to learn about visual merchandising. This was an eye-opening experience — no pun intended — as I realized there's a trade show for just about everything.

My audience was probably in the right city as Las Vegas is all about selling a lifestyle, and tapping into people's dreams and aspirations. You, too, can strike it rich, or you, too, can buy this fabulous pair of sunglasses. So which retailers in 'Lost Wages' caught my eye? (Again no pun intended). Well, it was three iconic, yet disparate names that continue to wow us. Barneys in the Canal Shops at the Venetian is simply magnificent. From the elliptical atrium, marble floors, sculptural fixtures and a multitude of well-positioned mannequins, the retailer takes visitors to a high-end sophisticated shopping experience. The statement is luxury and simple elegance; and that position is communicated with beautiful materials and a striking economy of line.

Repeatedly, Louis Vuitton demonstrates that it can roll-out and install a window concept anywhere in the world while consistently maintaining its incredible standard of excellence. Its windows truly take the viewer to another place and another state of mind.

Anthropologie remains locale-specific while still projecting a brand image that is theirs and theirs alone. They continue to stand for something: reuse, recycle, reinvent, as they marry an unparalleled level of creativity with great aesthetic sensibilities. They dare to be different.

So whether in ‘Sin City’ to wrestle with a one-armed bandit, meet a show girl or speak at a conference, the retail and its supporting architecture is quite dynamic. (Crystals, a 500,000-square-foot retail and entertainment complex at the mixed-use, environmentally sustainable City Center, is quite a sight).

It's great to be out-and-about to see what's going on in our industry. Now I'm back in New York City and my carry-on luggage is getting frayed and my Pinterest account is almost maxed out. But while my frequent flier miles are piling up, I must say (the sign on the facade of the Forum Shops not withstanding) there's no place like home.

Eric Feigenbaum is a recognized leader in the visual merchandising and store design industries with both domestic and international design experience.  He served as corporate director of visual merchandising for Stern’s Department Store, a division of Federated Department Stores, from 1986 to 1995. After Stern’s, he assumed the position of director of visual merchandising for WalkerGroup/CNI, an architectural design firm in New York City. Currently, he serves as the chair of the Visual Merchandising Department at LIM College (New York), and was also an adjunct professor of Store Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology. In addition to being the New York Editor of VMSD magazine, Eric is also a founding member of PAVE (A Partnership for Planning and Visual Education). Currently, he is also president and director of creative services for his own retail design company, Embrace Design.