Few things could be counted on this year. But, even in 2020, we could be sure of the changing of the seasons and the inevitable arrival of the holidays. Now they re here, and with them come the festivities that make Manhattan in December so magical. It s most certainly Midtown s best time of year. There s the smell of roasted Nuts 4 Nuts wafting from vendor carts and steam that rises from the subway grates to create a sort of veil through which you take in all the street decorations, like the those larger than life-sized red ornaments across the way from Rockefeller Center.
And, most of all, there are the holiday window decorations from retail institutions that command whole city blocks on 5th and Lexington Avenues. It s a comfort to know that all these things have made their rightful return—though the times did affect the way some of these retailers approached the design and showcase of their displays. A roundup of the most famous windows, and some of the holiday goodies they contain, below:
Out of all the flagships, Saks Fifth Avenue certainly has the splashiest and most dazzling holiday display. The overall theme of the windows is “This is How We Celebrate." Vignettes in 6 of 24 of Saks s windows tell stories of togetherness and moments in Manhattan—there s a music-themed set-up in “Times Square” and a classic, old school New York barbershop that gets paid a visit by children. And up above the street-level windows is a brilliant arrangement of lights that rise up all 10 stories of the iconic building. Plus, the store figured out a way to unveil its windows safely. Their crowdless and live-streamed unveiling was broken up night by night with special hosts who each picked their own charity to spotlight. First was Alex Rodriguez (who kicked off the festivities with Jennifer Lopez by his side) followed by Wes Gordon, Gayle King, Antoni Porowski, and more. Fashion within the displays was spangle-filled and metallic.
Given that its logo is a flamingo, The Webster decided to stay true to itself and think pink for the holiday season. The Greene Street Manhattan location of the concept shop doesn t have the floor to ceiling windows of those uptown retailers, but no matter, they strung pink neon tubing throughout the store and strew clusters of disco balls on the floor. The official theme? “All things Pink and Shiny” and the disco-elements are to remind shoppers that they can still dance the night away, even if it s in their living room. The looks on display come courtesy of Paco Rabanne, Area, and more.
Nordstrom is another flagship without traditional ground-floor windows. The store, which opened in late 2019 (New York s long-awaited first Nordstrom), is instead architected to display all seven floors through its entirely-glass facade. From 57th street, passersby can peer into the store and spot the holiday cheer. Inside, there are installations and shop within shops. Most notably is the Make Merry Gift Shop, which is filled with a collection of some of the best gifts to give this season—all under $100 and with a focus on our current stay-at-home lives.
Bloomingdale s took a novel approach to their holiday windows this year. Instead of showcasing the most dazzling of their fashion and wares, the displays were product-less but no less festive! Bloomingdale s Give Happy campaign inspired the decorations—windows with themes of Love, Good Cheer, Light, Happy, Smiles. And in lieu of a window unveiling, Bloomingdale s hosted a virtual holiday benefit to support the Child Mind Institute. Inspired by their windows, a collection of their happy products, below.
Just like Bloomingdales, Bergdorf Goodman opted for fashion-less windows. David Hoey, the longtime window dresser at the 5th Avenue institution, chose to spread good cheer with windows literally emblematic of goodness: love, hope, harmony, joy, peace, equality, kindness, and unity. And they re absolutely dazzling.
