We spoke with Tom Beebe from W. Diamond Group about his philosophy on art and fashion, visual merchandising, and more.
How do you use store displays to portray a designer’s vision to customers?
The windows of a shop are your billboard – the story of your brand and it must be very clear and focused. Interior visuals must carry on the story of the brand to the smallest detail for the shopper experience.
When you are creating a merchandise display, does the quality of the model forms and mannequins improve the design?
Quality is always number one – the forms and mannequins must be the same level as your vision – to achieve the polished look.
Do you see similarities between the way art and fashion are best displayed?
Art and Fashion are one. Gene Moore my, mentor at Tiffany (39 years), had the best 5 window gallery in the world – on 5th Ave.
What is one of your favorite display projects, and why do you think it’s memorable?
I am currently working with the Smithsonian Museum in Washington on putting the archives of Gene Moore’s work online – for students, visual world, architects, designers – to use as an educational tool/history of design to be viewed forever in time.
When displaying high end products, how does the quality of the model forms highlight the elegance of the items on display?
The visual goal is all about Illusion and to create the fantasy so all elements balance the elegance.
When preparing seasonal displays, what inspires you and how far in advance does the planning start?
With seasonal displays inspiration comes from everywhere – the SPARK of an idea – the glance of some MAGICAL moment to be created and made into a REALITY. It all starts as a work in progress months before – but it is the last minute touches that pull the threads of MAGIC together.
