Props

Once you have chosen your theme and scheme and your merchandise, it is then time to consider the props you will need before thinking about the layout of the window itself. Props, as the name suggests, are objects that visually support the items for sale. A window display can include one prop or a whole collection. A prop can have empathy with the products, or cleverly have nothing in common with the merchandise at all. A padded silk box would be a conventional way to support a diamond ring; a roll of barbed wire would be a contemporary way of showing the same piece. One stand-alone prop can be as effective as a whole window scheme fashioned from many. Props enhance a window or an interior display, and they work in the same way as on film sets or a theatrical stage. They can be purchased or custom-made. Other merchandise items can also be used as props, such as a stock item of furniture used as a backdrop for a fashion scheme. Such props are both economical and commercial because one would not need to pay for them to be made; they can display a price tag and can be sold themselves.

The general rule for props is that they should support the product without overpowering it: a basic mix of two-thirds props to one-third merchandise is usually best. This may seem an odd balance, but the props are there to support the theme and to provide drama, so they need to be bold enough to create an impression. Too much merchandise can interfere with the artistic composition—unless that is the intention, such as during a clearance sale, when the aim is to focus on the reduction message. Skilled visual merchandisers, however, will have the confidence to ignore this rule if preferable. There should always be interaction between the props and the product. A potted plant placed at the foot of a mannequin will draw attention for the wrong reasons; it will undoubtedly look out of place and have no relevance to the merchandise it is supporting. It is best to avoid props that are personal favorites if they have nothing in common with the window theme. Small boutiques with no visual guidance are often the worst offenders in this common habit; old pieces of furniture, drapes, and artificial flowers unthoughtfully placed in a window with no relevance to the merchandise will look dull and out of place.

Many newcomers to the world of visual merchandising may be concerned about the cost of such items. Of course, a well-made prop may put the retailer on the same ladder as the major department stores. Some of the best windows, however, are crafted not with a heavy bank balance but with an active imagination. Bergdorf Goodman in New York, famous for its lavish window displays, once covered the entire back walls of its vast windows with burnt toast graded from light to dark, with stylishly dressed mannequins at the front. The windows would have cost no more than the price of some loaves of bread and a toaster—unlike the store’s famed Christmas windows, on which huge amounts are spent.

There are a variety of ways to use and source props to achieve stunning window displays.

Expensive and maybe not quite politically acceptable, but the use of a life-sized deer to display fashion accessories at Printemps in Paris is an example of the many exotic props that are available for hire.

These simple bust forms used together form a very powerful display, showing as it does the authority and range of a coat collection available in-store in Topshop, London. The simple slogan “COATS” also highlights the product.

Used in a carefully constructed rectangle, these simple slate tiles displayed en masse in a Macy’s New York window create a subtle support for the mannequin, which is itself dressed in neutral clothing.

Props en masse

An interesting way to introduce props to a window is to arrange them en masse. Acquire something cheap and easily available, such as an empty tin can, for example. By itself on the floor next to an item of furniture, it may look lost and bear no obvious relation to the window theme. Used en masse, however—possibly covering the wall or floor—the cans become a bold statement, just as stacking hundreds of bottles of the same perfume aesthetically changes the emphasis from product to prop, but cleverly uses the merchandise to do this.

Custom-made props

Handmade props will possibly incur some costs; however, they are generally worth the extravagance. If the visual merchandiser requires items made especially for a window scheme, he or she will either approach a prop-maker or make them personally. A professional prop-maker will take the brief away and develop the concept further; it is wise to see a sample to check for sizing/color/finish before committing to the final design. Only when the client is happy with the designs will manufacture of the finished design begin. It is always wise to use prop-makers who have an understanding of window displays, as they will know when to cut corners on the overall finish yet consider the project as a whole and deliver a finished prop on time, to a high standard, and within the budget agreed. Prop-makers will also be specialists in carpentry and paint finishes, and will also be able to work with many other materials. When briefing the prop-maker, it is worth remembering that a closed window will only require the prop to be finished on one side, as the back will not be seen from the street, but a prop for an open window will need to be finished on all sides so that it can be viewed from 360 degrees.

The clever use of rope as a prop at Liberty’s, London, is used to carefully suspend mannequins for a dramatic window scheme.

The use of these artificial flowers brings a fresh, spring-like theme to this Topshop window in London, with the advantage that they will not wilt or die.

Recycling props

Resourceful visual merchandisers will store props and use them again at a later date, possibly in the windows once more, but with a new finish or—more often than not—in the interior of the store. One should try to get as much mileage out of the props as possible, especially if they were costly. However, they should not be overexposed; the customer will expect to see something new. Remember that well-manufactured props can be used in-store at another time. Many visual merchandisers will shrewdly pick up items from junk shops and reuse them at a later date. It is worth remembering that large, overpowering props can only be used so often before the public begins to recognize them from behind the makeovers. Smaller discreet items, on the other hand, can be painted and decorated in many ways and used in a multitude of displays if interchanged with other props.

Flora

Flowers and plants can be very effective in a window presentation but may not live long; the heat from the sun and from the window lighting can wither even the healthiest of plants in just a few hours. Artificial plants have become much more realistic over the years, and can be cleaned, packed up, stored, and used again.

Evaluating props

Getting the most from the props one chooses will not only help complete the window display but will also make the job of a visual merchandiser a lot easier. It is always worth planning how and when to use props, as well as what they ultimately will contribute to a window display. A prop may have been costly and look good on paper, but always question whether it is truly effective.

Artificial topiary has been used on a bust form at Fortnum & Mason, London, to display ladies’ fashion jewelry.