Imagine You're at Bergdorf Goodmans

Imagine you're standing in front of Bergdorf Goodman's Holiday windows.

Suddenly you find yourself inside the window surrounded by shells, monkeys, Gawd knows what all and decked out in a FAB sequined white gown!

One monkey prepares an exotic cup of tea for you with Parisien petit fours

Behind you is Bergdorf's Dr. Caligary's Cabinet - every year filled with different treasures.

Last year it was filled with all manner of Victorian gingerbread.

Imagine your poodle is here too, his paws gently resting on a giant snail.
Bergdorf Goodman's windows this year are an homage to Tony Duquette (1914–1999) and a new glorious book just published. Duquette was the over-the-top designer of MGM musicals sets and celebrity homes for Elizabeth Arden, J. Paul Getty, the Duchess of Windsor, Herb Albert, Greta Garbo. He was the first American to exhibit a one-man show at the Louvre in Paris.
Imagine you're wearing a bunch of sticks on your head for a hat.


The rest of you is enrobed in glittering gold lame and mink.

And you're enveloped in a room full of golden reflections.


Next imagine yourself dancing with an elegant aligator or giant lizard, whatev.

Monkeys are playing music this time and endless shells and lobsters look on as you prance around... Duquette was mad for seashells - they turn up everywhere in his decorations. He once filled a Venetian palazzo with red coral sprigs alone.


Exotic excess was Tony Duquette signature style. A quote from Hutton Wilkinson, “Tony was the only man who could spend $999 in a 99-cent store.”

Here's a mini-video from Bergdorf Goodman's explaining this year's windows. Bergdorf's window designer, David Hoey says, "We have the tallest windows of anybody, so you can really exaggerate proportions. I wish we had another couple feet of depth, but we compensate with the height."

What makes a good holiday window presentation?

The 3-second rule! "The window has to grab somebody's attention and hold it for 3 seconds," says Hoey. People should be able to understand what the window is about in that brief amount of time. "But it should also be good for those standing there for 15 minutes."
The rest of Bergdorf's windows coming on Monday... Stay tuned!