CBS WATCH! - Features

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Do your incessant spending sprees show a passion for fashion … or that you’re a compulsive shopper? How many of the following statements give you a charge?

You know your credit card account
numbers, billing cycles and
customer service lines (for credit
increases, of course) by heart.

Sales clerks not only greet you by
name but also send you birthday
and holiday cards. And ask about
your third cousin Edna.

You’ve used your credit card so
often the magnetic stripe on the
back has worn down and the numbers
on the front have flattened.

Your department store purchases
won’t go through until Credit
Services talks to you by phone—
at the register.

A large percentage of the items
in your closet still have the tags
attached. Like those new skis. And
you don’t ski.

You spent your child’s college
tuition on a 22-carat gold monkey
butler. And you don’t even know
what a monkey butler is used for.

Your regular shopping ensemble
includes camoufl age, night
vision goggles, smoke pellets
and energy bars.

Your guest bedroom has been
converted into a walk-in closet.
The bed is now in the garage.
As is your Aunt Millie.

You can easily justify spending
$2,400 on an Hermès watch.

Your GPS system automatically
directs you to the mall, whether
you’re planning a trip there or not.

Your miniature Pomeranian
is more indulged than most
celebs—a Burberry raincoat,
miniature Uggs and regular
spa appointments.

Hours are spent mapping your
mission to the Barneys warehouse
sale and you’re seriously considering
a “take no prisoners” tattoo.

Q&A with Barneys window dresser extraordinaire SIMON DOONAN

Simon Doonan is the multihyphenate’s hyphenate. He is (deep breath here): creative director at Barneys, guest star of reality TV shows like America’s Top Model, author of the memoir Nasty and of the recently released Wacky Chicks: Life Lessons from Fearlessly Inappropriate and Fabulously Eccentric Women (you can buy both at simonsays.com), columnist for the New York Observer and an actor, with a notable turn in the seminal action fl ick Beverly Hills Cop. He even finds time to design the noteworthy and often outrageous windows at Barneys. We caught up to the whirlwind to get insight into his art.

Watch!: Where does inspiration come from when creating window displays?
Simon Doonan: Inspirations for my windows are [based on] ideas I accumulate on an ongoing basis. I’ve been at it long enough that I constantly have a backlog of ideas that we’re developing in the studio. Our [Andy] Warhol windows [in 2006] were a big hit ... The idea came to me a year ago when I was hearing the name more than I had been … I take my inspiration from pop culture.

W: What do media, celebrity and politics add to window displays?
SD: We rarely ever do politics. As a retailer, you want everyone to come in and shop. It’s “come all ye.” We’ve done a lot of windows caricaturing celebrities; I started doing that when celebrity culture began to rise again in the late 1980s. Before that, people weren’t fixated on movie actors the way they are now. Watching the Academy Awards was a totally optional activity. I’d be like, “Who cares? It’s a bunch of people giving each other awards.” I think because I’m British, I’ve always done it with sort of a sardonic edge.

W: How much of it is pure art, and how much of it focuses on bringing people
into the store?
SD: I think people throw the word “art” around a bit too liberally these days. What I do is this weird combination of marketing and street theater—and craft … hopefully there’s some design in there. I don’t think of it as art, and I think that’s sort of very liberating for me.

W: Are you working as creative director for all Barneys stores?
SD: Yes—we have a guy whose sole job is to send out directives to all the stores based on stuff we’re doing at Madison Avenue. He photographs everything and sends out this constant stream of directives. We would love to do what we do at Madison Avenue at every Barneys store, but it’s not always possible because the [store] formats are different. In Beverly Hills, for example, we have one huge corner window. Boston actually doesn’t have any windows— it’s a beautiful store within a mall in Copley Place.

W: Do designers have any give and take with you in how you display their clothing?
SD: Once in a while, a designer has such a strong point of view that it translates into something visual. But would I ever let some designer tell me what to do with the window? No. I don’t tell them how to design their collections.

W: What are your five favorite windows?
SD: Well, I have to say I love the Warhol windows. Andy Warhol had so much dimension.

We’ve been able to take it into our catalog, our shopping bags. It’s very exciting. We did a Tammy Faye Bakker window once, and I made a giant mascara wand with her Christmas tree, with little balls on it. It was right when Jim [Bakker] went to prison. We had this TV with bars in front of it and a picture with him in the TV. Tammy saw a picture of it and loved it. I loved all our Madonna windows. And Margaret Thatcher … We did sort of a dominatrix [window] and put her in this S&M outfit listening to Metallica— like sort of a big, heavy metal queen. And sometimes I love the really simple windows that we do, where we just take a lot of product and use it like a prop. We regularly do windows using lots and lots of ties, and kind of repeat them on the wall. I love those windows because we kind of invented them. If you see that done anywhere, it’s [because] someone saw us doing it first.

W: Do you ever stop to think you’ve become a
cultural icon?
SD: I think it’s really fun. I relate to Andy Warhol in this. I was born in a two room flat with no kitchen and bathroom, so I didn’t come from this sort of fabulous, upscale background. And so you find nd yourself in this milieu that’s all about glamour and style. I’m continually amused by that. I never think, “Oh, of course I’m fabulous.” I never take it for granted. I always think, “Jesus, how the hell did I end up here?”

Angelique O’Neil, fashion director and A-list stylist, is at the top of her game. With her work seen everywhere from red carpets to runways, she has made a career of knowing what works and how best to “work it.” Along the way, she’s shared her talent with MTV Networks, L.A.M.B., Valentino and Sony Entertainment, to name just a few. Here, she indulges Watch! with some of her fashionable good fortune.

Watch!: Who has more influence on retailers today: designers or celebrities? Angelique
O’Neil: While both have significant influence, celebrity and all that it encompasses have an enormous effect on fashion at the moment. In a world where consumers seem to get style inspiration from red carpets more often than runways, celebrities and the team of people who advise them are changing some rules. Consider this: It’s entirely possible your favorite celebrity is in a new movie, wearing his or her own signature fashions, fragrance and beauty line that you will soon be purchasing. The star has also recorded tracks on the same movie’s soundtrack, being released at the opening of said celebrity’s new eatery. It goes on ... Celebrities, each a brand in their own right, have their own labels or endorse someone else’s. It’s a big business and its changing fashion.

W: How do stores know what will be “in fashion” two, three years down the line?
AO: Retail stores and major fashion houses employ trend forecasters to act as “fashion mediums.” This exclusive group of professionals studies worldwide social and political indicators to best predict the upcoming trends in fabric, color and style. Armed with these directional clues, they determine what will be most prevalent in the seasons ahead.

W: When is the best time to shop for a new wardrobe? And what kind of investment should you make?
AO: You truly need to be mentally ready, feel fantastic about all that is you and be prepared to unleash your fashion mojo. If you’re on a budget, it’s best to look for sales well into the season or as it is coming to a close, when prices are considerably lower. For those who covet couture and map out next season’s must-haves as they are coming down the runway, look to style.com (a phenomenal resource!), and pre-order your selections from the designers directly to ensure size and availability. As for the financial investment, always purchase within your resources. It’s tough to look magnificent when you’re worrying about how to fund an ensemble. All that furrowing could prove to be tragic later.

W: What are some new wardrobe essentials?
AO: There are basic elements that should be present in everyone’s wardrobe: a dark-hued business suit, a timeless trench coat and exquisite topcoat or fur, an amazing pair of handmade shoes, a gorgeous handbag or briefcase and a show-stopping watch. I tend to focus on more classically elegant pieces and silhouettes, adding personality with accessories. Top these essentials off with a signature scent and a traffic-stopping smile.

W: What department stores offer the best selections?
AO: I have so many favorites, I wouldn’t know where to begin. But I do regularly visit Jeffrey, Barneys New York, Henri Bendel, Bergdorf Goodman and Nordstrom. My clients love the unique selections each store offers.

W: If you can’t afford top-of-the-line department stores, what are some alternatives?
AO: Living in Manhattan, I’m spoiled. We have access to everything brilliant in fashion at our fingertips. New Yorkers can indulge in endless designer sample sales, saving up to 80 percent off retail prices. Century 21 and Loehmann’s are legendary as well, and I know I can always find amazing deals on fashion-forward items at Zara, H&M and Target (their GO International collection in particular). For staple pieces, Marshalls, T.J. MAXX and Filene’s Basement keep me busy for hours. And I absolutely live for upscale outlet shopping. Visit Nordstrom Rack or try Chelsea Premium Outlets. They have locations all over the U.S., with shopping destinations like Off Fifth-Saks Fifth Avenue, SPACE (Prada, Miu Miu), Burberry, Gucci, Cole Haan, Neiman Marcus Last Call, Ermenegildo Zegna, Dolce & Gabbana, Giorgio Armani and Barneys New York Outlet.

W: Does knowing what looks good on someone come naturally or is it something that
can be learned?
AO: Nature vs. nurture—I love this debate! Well, the history of fashion is fascinating. You can study it both for inspiration and to build style skills. In my case, though, I would say it’s been predominately instinct. It’s like when you realize you’ve just heard an incredible song. You begin with the melody, then lyrics … you want to listen to it again and again, learn the nuances and then add a little something of your very own to the bridge. To me, that’s what bringing together the perfect look for someone feels like. It should take your breath away like the perfect song.