vienna

covering both of them. Although each fashion item bears a big price tag, there is
a price list on the floor as well. Each item is listed by its original price. But since
the price has been struck out, we have to read the price on the tags attached to
the mannequins. There are two price lists, one for each mannequin. The price lists
are written by hand with a thin felt pen, while the striking off is done with a thick
marker. We now return to the window with the spring collection. The two price
lists here are printed.
Since this shop does not have a backdrop – usually an important factor
in creating ritual space – the differences are more subtle. While the decoration
of the spring outfits does without price tags on the mannequins, since the
price list is printed, the seasonal sale window has visible pricing on the mannequins.
The price tag has been an important information factor from the
very beginning of retail design. Here is some advice from the discipline’s genesis:
“In order to distinguish between good and bad showcase price tags, it is also
necessary to keep in mind how such decorations should never be used. One
often sees price tags and description of goods scribbled in pencil or colour
pencil on a piece of white paper; such bits of paper are almost repulsive.” 323
What follows is the figure of a handwritten price tag on a man’s shirt for
twenty-nine fifty. The frame is drawn with a trembling line and the numbers are
vague. Such deterring price tags are used for the seasonal sale. Their message is
clear: “Although we can easily print what we need for the show window, we do it
by hand. We do it to draw the outline of the ritual circle.”
FAVORITEN STRASSE
Customers who do not have much money to spend on their shopping
frequent this street. When speaking of fashion design today, this is not the place
we think about first. This street is not really a model for excellent retail design
even during the year. Although similar shops exist in every city, we have never
seen such an environment in books about retail design. But they probably make
323 Schönberger (no year:17)*. This course book for window dressers was published before 1929.
Favoriten Straße
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