TIFFANY AND RALPH

With s few more department stores shuttering this year, the tour of them is getting shorter, as Barney's now makes it's exit from the retail world. But leave it to some fine specialty stores to do some wonderful feeling windows.  I can't imagine New York at Christmas without these creative windows. Another stop for me every year is Tiffany's & Co.

Tiffany's always manages to create a damn creative window and no easy feat creating them in such a small space, as these jewelry windows are not that big,  They always tell a compelling story.The Tiffany-blue display will certainly dazzle any passerby on Fifth Avenue. The brand's display tells a story about the main protagonist ,Tiffany's, of course, mouse, in a delightful and charming way.  I also enjoyed the advent calendar.

Meanwhile over at Ralph Lauren, the place always reeks of style and luxury, but the windows broke from the normal there....much more fun and whimsy...with a floral theme to them. Loving ranunculus flowers you know I loved these. The inside doesn't disappoint either. And they managed to milk me for another cashmere sweater.

Plus they make a mean cup of coffee!

HOLIDAY WINDOWS

Continuing down our path of the lovely holiday windows on our second day, they didn't disappoint either. When you get down to it. it's amazing the detail that can fit into these small spaces. Every year, another company that always pleases me is the legendary Tiffany & Co. They have some of the most creative windows for such the smallest of spaces, and I'm here to tell you, jewelry is one of the hardest and most challenging to display. And they always bring it. We even started out with breakfast at Tiffany's!!!

This Tiffany-blue display will certainly dazzle any passerby on Fifth Avenue. The brand's display tells a story about the main protagonist Tiffany's silver doll, of course, in a delightful and charming way. This year's theme is "Believe in Dreams," which takes onlookers behind the scenes of a whimsical Tiffany workshop.

Rock candy..get it? Genius.

Meanwhile at Saks Fifth Avenue....

After years of catering to children with one storybook tale after another, Saks goes after its true demographic: ladies who shop. The loosey-goosey plot revolves around a young woman with a poodle and stars in her eyes, whose love of the theater is nearly eclipsed by her passion for shoes, spa treatments and everything else money can buy, especially in Saks. That said, the windows are a dazzling mix of color and couture, with enough velvet curtains for a David Lynch fever dream. The edgier windows along 49th Street, which have a sexier story to tell. One features a couple canoodling above the stage, another has a man in a corset. And those hunky men outside the stage door seem to be waiting for something more than an autograph. wink!

 Over at Barneys. was a penny for your thoughts! How about 40,000 of them, pasted onto a white backdrop? That’s what’s doing in Barneys’ windows this year, although you’ll have to peer through the cutouts that spell “make change” to see them.

 The pennies (all $400 of them) are part of a partnership with Save the Children. (Barneys’ texting campaign promises another $150,000.) My team and I's inner Scrooge says, “Worthy cause, but lousy windows.....but we didn’t see a single passerby give the display a second glance. Come back, Simon Doonan! You may well be “creative ambassador at large,” but the windows need you here!

And sadly....the legend and long time store that started all the holiday window magic spectacle, and the first to do the holiday windows... is another dear company shuttering this year, Lord & Taylor. The brand’s 2017 windows which were titled “The Best and the Brightest,” spotlighted unique scenes through the lens of a snow globe. Sadly, that was the retailer's last extravagant display. After 104 years in business, Lord & Taylor is closing and will transform into a WeWork space in 2019.That’s right, no more beautiful Christmas-window arrangements. No more gorgeous displays of fashion to gawk at. No more old-school shopping for presents at the iconic store on it's 10 floors. It was a sad thing to see.

Windows are papered up already and literally everything was for sale!

It’s a sad day, with B.Altman's, Bonwit Tellers closing in the late 80's and now this year with Henri Bendels and Lord & Taylor...and now I just heard the fantastic Gumps in San Francisco of 157 years is now closing. But as the saying goes: Sic transit gloria mundi — so passes worldly glory, and the like we will never see again.

BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S

I have been running a tad behind with blogs reading again, as my schedule is getting hectic with work and social events. Our Christmas décor is all done at the store now, and yesterday we had meetings for spring trend previews and décor in New York. Which was a welcomed moment, after two hectic weeks running around like chickens with our heads cut off. Since the meetings were only half a day, I asked Mistress Maddie's #1 Fan, if he had time to meet me for a luncheon. Since we weren't far from Tiffany & Co, and the big queen that I am, I wanted to check out the new eatery at Tiffany's, The Blue Box Café. So now, one can indeed have breakfast at Tiffany's... so to speak.

Blue Box Cafe swung open its luxurious doors less than a month ago.... and has been packed ever since — people an opening day I understand, who arrived an hour before the 10 a.m. opening were sent home since reservations were already full. The cafe is the luxury jeweler’s first foray into food, with set breakfast, lunch, and tea service at $29, $39, and $49 respectively. So yesterday we went with our reservations...and when we arrived, we found a filled room, and devoured avocado toast, truffled eggs, finger sandwiches, desserts and lots of tea!!!! And I loved every bit!!!! I love the pomp and circumstance.

MM#1 Fan even ordered the Tiffany Waffle!

The room is covered in the brand’s trademark robin’s egg blue, from the slipcovers on the chairs to the paint on the walls. Wall decorations are Tiffany window displays in miniature, filled with chrome figurines, diamonds, and homewares. The design inspiration was to make diners feel as though they are inside a trademark Tiffany blue box.

After words we checked out the new home floor of four. I was totally feeling the vibe of this place. Clean, crisp, interesting looking and no screaming kids.....and some wonder gift ideas.

I love this statue of the dachshund!

And who wouldn't love this carry on case. Perfect for my glassware, tonic and gin when I travel, not to mention, double as my sundries case.

And then of course there were the Christmas windows outside.... very creative and fun. Jewelry is one of the hardest things to display creatively and they always manage it.

I also learned that day that the Tiffany Blue was inspired from  the wife of Napoleon III, Empress Eugenie de Montijo, who was the biggest fashion icon of the 19th century. When Charles Tiffany saw a portrait of her, he knew that the shade of blue in her gown would become wildly popular. He decided to make it the official color for Tiffany's brand.

Turned out to be a fun day. Holly Golightly was right... the good people at Tiffany are so kind, helpful, friendly, and will indeed help find a perfect gift to fit any budget. Although, I will tell you dear readers, I did not come home with a jewel encrusted telephone dialer.