Iconic Windows of Holt Renfrew

I love to go to Toronto. I love this big city. It's the great restaurants, tons of entertainment possibilities, new exhibits at the museums and all the eye candy one would want in the windows along Bloor Street, which is Toronto's equivalent to NYC's Fifth Avenue.

My favorite windows are the ones created by John Gerhardt, Creative Director, for Holt Renfrew. John heads up all the visual and merchandising for this Canadian iconic high end retail chain. He has been named one of the Top Window Dressers in the world and they are absolutely correct in that assessment.

This month's windows' theme was ICON. John combined an iconic fashion designer with a similarly iconic art or cultural event.

Ralph Lauren coupled with American Gothic.

The iconic von Furstenberg wrap dress flanked by Andy Warhol's nod to Campbell Soup.

This year, the famous von Furstenberg wrap dress is done in the trendy animal print. The wrap dress is "supposed" to be one of the most flattering styles for most women. Is that true?

I've always wanted to try a von Furstenberg dress just to see if that theory is accurate. Next time I'm in Toronto, I will give try one on and give it a test ride.

Here's a Dolce&Gabbana long slinky dress in another animal print posed as Sandro Botticelli's Birth of Venus. In the window, the mannequin's hair is blowing like like Venus's hair in the original painting and she is standing in a shell full of pearls. Lots of texture and color and glitz.

Who wouldn't recognize this famous picture of the Beatles and Abbey Road? This time, the famous foursome are dressed in Paul Smith.

This was the first window I ran up to see. It was the hot pink color and all those ruffles on the skirts. I don't what came over me. I was so busy "licking the windows" as the French say, that I missed the designer and the iconic event. Hot pink does that to me.

I love the camel with the hot pink skirt. It's the first time that I've like the color camel this season.

I hope you enjoyed peering into the Holt Renfrew windows as much as I did.

Are you a window shopper?

Does a beautiful window entice you to go inside the store?

To me, a good window is like a big hello and is an accurate preview of what one might find inside. It's the cover on a good book. It's that important first impression.

Thank you John Gerhardt. I can't wait to see your Christmas windows!