FIRST PLACE: Flower Show Windows at Macys Herald Square 2023

2024 INTERNATIONAL VISUAL COMPETITION AWARDS

Non-Holiday Window Displays

BRIGHT, BOLD AND beautiful are just some words typically used to describe Macy’s (New York) annual Flower Show windows. This past year’s showcased sculpted decor alongside live and preserved flora.

The visual journey began on the façade with printed images of clouds. Moving into the windows, captivating elements included reflective acrylic surfs, unusual mannequins and oversized sculptures, all of which tied the vignettes narratively together.

above: For 2023’s Flower Show windows, Macy’s design team was inspired by the changing colors of the day.

“Each window had its own muse,” says Manuel Urquizo, Director of Storewide Visual Campaigns and Windows, Macy’s. “The displays went from dusk to dawn, celebrating the timing of the day. We started with darker windows, featuring flowers with more dark purples and pinks. Then, as we moved into dawn/daytime, we saw the sunrise and the flowers getting brighter, and the sky getting brighter. A rainbow in window five was followed by a rising sun in window six.”

One subtle challenge for the design team was implementing the cloud print: Decorating the building’s façade is never a simple task as it usually has to be executed at night to ensure consumer and installer safety, according to Macy’s submission. Working with live plants added another layer of challenges, explains Urquizo.

“The morning of the windows’ debut, the glass was foggy, so we had to pump AC to get the humidity down,” Urquizo says. “And when we’re using a lot of flowering plants, we need to be very aware of the temperature setting, we can’t let it be too cold either.”

The windows’ traditional VM supports the essence of the Visual Competition, showing how something “low-tech” can make an impact visually, proving tried-and-true techniques are that way for a reason.

PHOTO GALLERY (11 IMAGES)
📷 BILL WALDORF, KNOXVILLE, TENN.