Chanel's icy exterior

This icy display at Chanel is the perfect winter window and is bang on trend with some of this seasons key pieces including fur accessories and the leather shearling jacket. The darker tones of the clothing really stand out against the white and icy blue backdrop of the display. They have kept the composition simple and elegant, embodying the brands image perfectly.

Harvey Nichols are switched on

I love these menswear windows at Harvey Nichols in London's Knightsbridge. The very male range of electrical objects including a toaster, headphones and a tv, are created in a illustrative style using different colour wires and bright lighting.

I think the composition of these windows is really strong, with the wire installation in the middle with a mannequin at one side and a range of clothing and accessories hanging off the wire on the other.

I really like the way the coloured wires are plugged into the sockets that are stark white along with the backdrop, making the primary colours of the wires and products stand out.

Black and white is best at Cos and Topshop

The stark visual contrast and impact of a completely monochrome display works really well here for Topshop, in the first two images and Cos, in the third image. In order for such a simple concept to be successful the composition of the props and clothing/accessories has to be carefully thought out. What both brands have done is used the height of the window display to products at different levels. Topshop's stacked and balanced props are busier and more compact than Cos's minimalist chairs, stools and rails, but I think both approaches have a really strong look and work well for their brands.

Anthropologie Set Sail

Anthropologie was one of the first brands that I posted about on this blog, and I'm happy to see that their displays a year on are as strong as ever. These nautical inspired windows have an authentic, rustic feel that is Anthropologie down to the ground. This is created by the worn, faded tones of blues, greys and greens and the handmade looking materials used for the props. I really like the composition of the displays in these windows, in particular the symmetry between the sails and the mannequins in the first image.

Selfridges wish, crave and lust over the new seasons key pieces

It's one of the most exciting times of the year in the fashion retail industry, the summer and the sales are drawing to a close and the Autumun/Winter collections are being stocked up and sprawled all over the fashion magazines. Key trends and pieces are predicted as consumers are told how they can update their wardrobes with the "must-haves" of the new season.

My interpretation of this series of windows from Selfridges is that the creative team have tapped into this and created a visual display that shows consumers a wishlist for the new season. Whether they crave, obsess or lust over, at this time of year consumers choose the new jacket, the perfect cocktail dress and the fabulous new handbag they must have this season!

Each window features one emotion and one key piece, making it easy for consumers to focus in on each product as they walk down Oxford Street. The key pieces in the scheme show what the department store do best; housing the most innovative, relevant and iconic designers of the moment and help stamp their authority within the industry.

Gap Kids and H&M battle it out in the classroom

Gap Kids and H&M are tapping into the Back to School trend for their childrenswear departments in a big way. Both brands have used props of giant stationary including sharpeners, erasers and rulers to create fun, colourful displays. Gap Kids have used bright primary colours and cardboard for their props whilst H&M have used a broader range of materials to create more lifelike versions of the stationary.

The compositions of the two displays are determined by the scale of the windows, as H&Ms much bigger and wider window of their Regent Street store allows the brand to spread out the props. Compared to Gap Kids much smaller window at their Oxford Circus store, where the stationary and mannequins are much more compact. I think the composition of Gap's window display is much more eyecatching and the closeness of all the props reminded me of a childs stationary crammed into a pencil case.

Melting Moschino

These windows at Moschino are the perfect summer display. I love the way the giant fruit, icecream and the mannequin are all melting, presumably from the heat of the summer sun, creating splashes and puddles below them. This simple concept works for me because of the contrast of the bold colours and soft fabrics of the props against a stark white backdrop. The strong lighting used also helps to give the impression of the heat and brightness of the sun on a scorching summers day.