Every winter, Bergdorf Goodman holiday windows transform Fifth Avenue into a landmark of imagination and craft. For decades, they have stood as a symbol of New York’s creative spirit, combining theatricality, precision, and rich detail.

I joined artist John Gordon Gauld to bring the creative vision to life, drawing from the opulence of the Jazz Age and the cinematic drama of films like Black Narcissus and The Sound of Music. We used vector graphics to create stencils for hand-painted floors in an aerial-view scene of a grand ballroom celebration. Over 15 miniature dioramas were crafted with painted and cut scenic elements, each featuring mannequins staged in their own theatrical moment.

Coveteur and Elle documented the behind-the-scenes build, capturing the collaboration between scenic artists, sculptors, and fabricators. The coverage highlighted the scale of the production and the depth of hands-on craftsmanship behind each window.

Project Credits

Client:
Bergdorf Goodman NYC

Collaborators:
John Gordon Cauld

Project Role:
Experiential Designer

Project Duration:
2012

The final pieces were installed overnight through the back of the store, window by window, just days before the public reveal. Like much of the process, it was quiet, meticulous, and done entirely by hand. This was design that asked for precision, patience, and a strong point of view.