As the big reveal of this year’s Christmas windows looms ever closer, the role that props play in the development of exciting and eyecatching visual merchandising becomes very clear. Retail windows are about more than showing off the products in store; in fact, window schemes in some stores are noticeably void of any focus on actual merchandise. The aim is instead to show passersby a glimpse of the magical world within the store, and props play an enormous role in setting the scene. Londonbased Hawkes and Forman have
had an incredible year producing some amazing props for a number of retail clients. The team have recently had their hard work recognised at the VM and Display Awards in a win of ‘Best Christmas Interior’ for Topshop, for a scheme to which they contributed alongside other suppliers*. Not content with resting on their laurels, Hawkes and Forman are now working on creating some exciting Christmas props, so the team are well resourced to discuss the wonderful world of retail props. “Using props adds that extra dimension
and a 360 degree view to a window or interior store display; the display becomes an exciting installation rather than simply an arrangement of mannequins and/or 2D graphics,” explain Toni Hawkes and Katie Forman, Creative Directors of Hawkes and Forman. Retail windows are an important opportunity for a retailer to draw the attention of potential customers. In the few moments it takes for a customer to walk past a store, the props used in the visual merchandising display for a window
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can tell a story that appeals enough to draw people in. The value of props is something that Hawkes and Forman believe should not be underestimated by retailers; “With the right creative minds a window display can be transformed into any world, any setting, any idea, and props play a huge part in creating this scene. Props help whisk the passer by into a moment of escapism”. Props can be used to bring life to a
promotion, and to help the customer to understand a brand’s identity. This is something that Hawkes and Forman are well aware of; “The use of props adds a sense of drama to the product displayed and also to the brand itself. Stores want the customer to create certain associations with the brand, and dynamic, creative window displays aid this process”. This ability to create theatre through the use of props can bring the retailer closer to the customer by reflecting their interests or by capturing their imagination to bond them with the brand. Trends in any design sector will come
and go, and the field of props is no exception. For example, this summer saw a huge surge in the use of patriotic props to mark the Queens Jubilee and the Olympics. Andy Thornton, who has put together props for some incredible brands including Barbour, Jack Wills and Belgium based Modemakers, believes that one of the current trends is that of strippedback simplicity, as Lindsay Hepworth, Architectural Antiques & Props Buyer at Andy Thornton explains; “The current
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*For full information on this year’s winners, please head to our review on page 40.
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