The Spring 2013 Dior windows at Bergdorf Goodman. Photo courtesy of Steve Eichner, WWD.
For today’s edition of Monday Morning Photo, Fashion School Daily has picked one of our favorite things about New York City: the windows at Bergdorf Goodman. Forgetting the floors after floors of designer wares (though it’s hard to!), the windows are true works of art that enhance the Manhattan city scape and can be appreciated by fellow fashionistas or not. Earlier this spring, FSD was invited to a private screening of the documentary film “Scatter my Ashes at Bergdorf’s” to learn more about the legacy of luxury that’s hidden behind these iconic displays.
Directed by Matthew Miele, the film depicts the antiquity and grandeur of Fifth Avenue’s sacred department store. The lights dimmed, and we were transported through the doors of Manhattan’s legendary, shopping site. As the store is universally celebrated as one of New York City’s most stylish landmarks, Miele was tasked with configuring the key components of the film to showcase this marvel emporium. Unexpected and complimentary quotes from A-list designers created a geniality and accessibility to how these seemingly untouchable personalities are often portrayed. We are used to seeing designers in photographs, magazines or short appearances on the runway. Rarely are we privy to direct conversations with these luminary fashion figures. Hearing a personal statement about a designer’s experience with Bergdorf’s, made the audience feel connected with artists such as, Jason Wu, Marc Jacobs and Karl Lagerfeld. The film offered massive amounts of eye candy for anyone who is passionately interested in fashion. Even for those who would consider themselves more on the periphery of the fashion world, viewers were still able to enjoy the beauty and inehrent artistry in the Bergdorf Empire.
Photo courtesy of ModernWearing.com.
The design and architecture in the 190,000 square foot mansion seizes the capacity of an entire New York City block, not to mention the ingenuity and creativity that goes into preparing for the massive display windows. The film’s segment divulging the details of the store’s elaborate window displays was the most wonderous of them all. Curated by David Hoey, alongside starlet, Linda Fargo, the manifestation and workings of the windows are magnificent. The film demonstrated, over the course of a year, what is done in order to prepare for the annually anticipated holiday windows. Miele demonstrated with perfection the technical editing precision of these eccentric and avant-garde vignettes.
Joy Venturini Bianchi- San Francisco’s legendary style icon and philanthropic activist for Helpers House of Couture– was the local starlet of the event and my unexpected surprise viewing partner at the screening. Upon arriving, she elegantly sashayed through the entry way decked in her oversized, black-framed Gucci glasses, and floor length vintage Chanel tweed coat. She could have easily been mistaken for Iris Apfel as she was just as glamorous, eccentric and even more so, appealing.As we began chatting over cocktails, though, I realized how much of a heartfelt and genuine woman she was. Our conversation easily exchanged back and forth covering designers, the [premiere of Cinderella at the San Francisco Ballet], Audrey Hepburn, and the celebrity cliché of borrowing dresses and demising them. A whirlwind of subjects, all I could do is listen to her depth of fashion fluency. Linking arms, we escorted each other to our seats, and through the iconic Fifth Avenue entrance Bergdorf’s.
Joy Venturini Bianchi with Fashion School Daily contributing writer, Jazelle Prado.
See the trailer for “Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf’s” below. The film is currently showing at the Opera Plaza Cinema. To buy tickets, click here.
Written by Jazelle Prado
