• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.109-117
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• 2011

This study identified characteristics of Christmas window display, which is one of visual marketing methods used in department stores, using cases of department stores in Seoul and the New York and to compare the characteristics between Seoul and New York department stores in order to extract the directions and components of window display in each country. Based on the photographs of Christmas window display at the sampled Seoul and New York department stores, we analyzed the window display of each department store. From the results of analysis were drawn conclusions as follows. First, as to the direction of Christmas window display design in Seoul and New York department stores, window display was designed using various themes according to the characteristic of each department store. In case of Seoul department stores, however, specific luxury brands linked to the characteristics of the department stores displayed their products separately, but in New York department stores, various Christmas themes, images related to the department stores, and products were displayed together according to the characteristic of the department stores. Second, among display components, the formative structure and the frequency of mannequin use were different between Seoul and New York department stores. Various formative structures and diverse mannequins used in the window display of New York department stores played the role of stamping the brand image of each department store and exhibiting various designs through window display.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.577-592
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to propose various directions for effectively proposing window displays that satisfy changing consumer needs by investigating and analyzing the characteristics of unexpected expressions used in recent Christmas windows. Research was conducted by investigating unexpectedness in window displays through literature reviews and previous studies. To observe unexpectedness in Christmas windows, website-based case images of window displays from the six years between 2010 and 2015 were collected from the department stores of Bergdorf Goodman, Printemps, Selfridges, and Isetan. Unexpected expressions in department-store Christmas window displays could be categorized into four expressive methods of hybrid expressions, figurative expressions, amusing expressions, and exaggerative expressions. The results were as follows: First, hybrid expressions are interpreted by consumers as having new or diverse meanings that change the original external forms of subjects or objects. Second, Christmas colors are used in the window backgrounds' figurative expressions, but these windows do not use excessive expressions; furthermore, these windows personify people as animals and anthropomorphize animals as people, using subjects to depict other subjects to show unfamiliar images. Third, amusing expressions are used to decorate windows with unique and novel ideas that provide stimulation and amusement for customers and capture their attention through the composition of windows that entail childish props and elements that create funny. Fourth, exaggerative expressions deliberately stretch and expand subjects or objects in windows to elicit customers' curiosity and interest through emphasis.