Sensorial Playground, Part II

International Visual Competition First Place Winner
Non-Holiday Window Displays
"Greetings from New York"
Submitted by: Coach

“I had two main challenges while designing this window,” says Joanna Roopchand, Visual Merchandising Manager, Coach (New York). “How could I take a 2-D element and turn it into a 3-D object, while still making it Coach? And would the customer know it’s a postcard at first glance?”

Paying homage to vintage postcards and archival New York imagery, these clever window displays from Coach took home a first place win in this year’s competition. Using instantly recognizable elements like the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge and the Empire State Building along with Coach apparel and accessories, the 3-D displays strove to convey  a static, flat aesthetic.

To combat potential design hurdles, Roopchand conducted extensive research on vintage postcards and was inspired to use each marquee letter in the display as a mini-vignette featuring miniature iconic New York elements. “There are little special moments if you look closely enough,” she says. For example, “our mascot Rexy is on top of the Empire State Building with her Coach rivet eyes.”  

And to make sure people knew it was a postcard at first glance, Roopchand conducted an informal survey. “I invited a couple people from various teams to take a look at the window to see what they thought. Some got [that it was a] postcard, and others didn’t. Most suggested to add a stamp to the glass. [It’s] such a small detail, but I think it definitely helped complete the story,” she says.

The finished displays communicated a simultaneous sense of minimalism and intrigue, according to our 2019 judges.

“I really appreciate its simplicity,” said Haley Kunka, Senior Designer, ChangeUp (Dayton, Ohio), a VMSD competition judge.

For Part I of the International Visual Competition coverage, please click here.