A Green Christmas

Store: Zara | Location: Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, IL

I'm so glad to be home for Thanksgiving break! I've only been home for two days but I've already managed to go to the mall! I was excited to see what Zara has done with their windows for the holidays and I was not disappointed when I saw this one! It's so magical and very holiday themed without it being so in your face and cliché, which is what I love about it! They played with different shades of green for the outfits, which I thought was new and refreshing because I never would have thought to pair dark green with pastel green. They definitely showed that it can be done well! 

In terms of the principles of design, I sort of feel that this display was all over the place. To me, it isn't very balanced and nothing is placed symmetrically. The two mannequins on the left are kind of just hangin' out in the corner over there, and I'm confused as to why they put the one mannequin behind the lights. I did however find that emphasis was brought to this display through the color scheme, as well as the fairy lights. The lights are definitely what made me want to stop and just stare at the windows! The placement of the Black Friday signage was a bit odd to me though because it was kind of difficult to read. But it was still smart of them to advertise that they would be having sales on Black Friday. Interestingly enough, my sister and I asked what their Black Friday deal/promotion was going to be and they told us that they aren't allowed to say. Talk about exclusive!

Petite Chic

Store: Zara | Location: Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, IL 

This is the last window display from Zara that I loved. First of all, how cute are these little girl mannequins? Can we just take a moment to appreciate how precious and stylish they are? As you picked up from this window display, Zara also does kids clothing (which is amazing and when/if I ever have children, I am buying their clothes from here). I love how fall ready these outfits are and that they're appropriate for young girls. The looks are all very stylish, while still being comfortable enough for a young girl to move around in. Zara is definitely pushing the idea of having very well dressed kids with this display. 

On the contrary, I think this display could also be a bit discouraging because to me it feels like the mannequin with the hand out is being mean to the lone mannequin, so it might give off the impression that that's the type of customer Zara is promoting. It was probably completely unintentional and I'm just reading into the display too much, but that was just the impression I got. If I could give Zara any advice on their displays, I'd tell them to think about their placement of mannequins.

Monochromatic Comfort

Store: Zara | Location: Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, IL

This was another window display from Zara that I loved. I immediately fell for the monochrome black and white looks. It's very clear that the theme they were going for here was comfort. Slip ons, oversized sweaters, beanies, scarves, and leggings are the ultimate equation for comfort but Zara found a way to make it look stylish and they nailed it perfectly. I think the outfits are relatable to everyone because we all have those days when we just want to be comfy and wear oversized sweaters and leggings, so I can imagine that this would appeal to a wide range of consumers who don't want to sacrifice style for comfort. 

As I said with the previous Zara display about the placement of mannequins, I'm going to say it again with this display. I don't understand the gap between the lone mannequin and the other two mannequins. To me it's a waste of space and they could've easily fit one more mannequin in that empty spot. But regardless of that, I'm still really ecstatic about this display and I think because of the outfits, people will be drawn to have a look inside the store.

Neutral Ground

Store: Zara | Location: Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, IL

Zara is one of my favorite stores so I knew I wouldn't be disappointed by their window displays. There were three windows that caught my eye and this is one of them. I love this one because the fall theme they were going for is very clear. They're definitely ready and gearing up for the coming fall season with all the layers, and if it wasn't obvious already, they're showcasing neutral shades like beige and ivory as a fall trend. Which I am not opposed to at all. Loads of fall inspiration was gained with viewing this display. 

Compared to the window display from Aritzia, which was very complex with all the shapes, this window catches the viewer's eye strictly based on the outfits. Zara's overall aesthetic is very clean cut to begin with, so having a busy window display wouldn't entirely suit them. They have to style the mannequins well in order to captivate the consumer. I also liked how they placed signs at the bottom of each mannequin that had a product list and price of what the mannequin was wearing. I thought that it could work as both an advantage and disadvantage for Zara because whatever price the consumer sees on those signs can determine whether or not they will go in the store to find that item. 

One other thing that caught my attention about this display was the placement. I was very confused on the placement of the mannequins. I thought it was strange that they grouped three of them together and left one by itself. To me it just looks like the three that are grouped together are plotting against the lone mannequin. Maybe, maybe not. Who knows.