(all photos © rudy pospisil, except where noted)

2010
july 30, 2010; (5th Avenue—”John Rombola Illustrations”)
july 30, 2010; (57th Street—”Mannequin Heads”)
july 30, 2010; (57th Street—”smashed window”)
july 9, 2010; (5th Avenue—more “Beauty Challenged by Rebecca Martinez”)
july 1, 2010; (58th Street—”Blue & Cobwebs”)
july 1, 2010; (5th Avenue—”Beauty Challenged by Rebecca Martinez”)
june 10, 2010; (58th Street—”Flyers”)
june 10, 2010; (5th Ave—”Boxes”)
june 7, 2010; (Mens—”Father’s Day”)
june 7, 2010; (58th Street—”CDFA Swarovski Award Collection”)
may 17, 2010; (58th Street—”Sex & The City 2″)
may 17, 2010; (5th Ave—”New York City Ballet”)
april 30, 2010; (5th Ave—”American Woman”)
april 16, 2010; (“Stephen Sondheim/Al Hirschfeld” and “handbags & legs”)
april 8, 2010; (Men’s)
april 8, 2010; (“Natural History Museum”)
march 18, 2010; (5th Ave—”BAMart Silent Auction”)
march 10, 2010; (“brett day windham sun prints” and “hanging couches”)
february 24, 2010; (east—window 4)
february 12, 2010; (east—”yarn art”, north—”hats of stella miller”)
january 13, 2010; (Lite Brite Neon Studio)

2009
november 24, 2009; (Holiday 2009, 58th St)
november 24, 2009; (Holiday 2009, 5th Ave, “Curiouser and Curiouser”)
november 24, 2009; (Holiday 2009, 57th St)
november 20, 2009; (Holiday Sneak Peek)
november 16, 2009; (south – “Holiday”)
november 11, 2009; (Holiday 2009, “The Fantastic Mr Fox”, Mens Store)
october 28, 2009; (east – “Halloween/Dell Adamo”)
october 21, 2009; (east – “Halloween—in progress”)
october 12, 2009; (east – “Chanel”)
october 02, 2009; (south – “Stenciling”)
september 28, 2009; (north, east – “Stencil and Metal”)
september 10, 2009; (north, south, east – “Fashion Week 2009″)
september 10, 2009; (“Fashion Week Preview”)
august 14, 2009; (north, south, east – “Fine Arts & Crafts”)
july 1, 2009; (north & east – “American Visionary Art Museum”)
june 12, 2009; (south-”panoramic black & whites”)
june 5, 2009; (north—”Lincoln Center’s 50th” & east—”white on white”)
may 22, 2009; (north & east windows)
apr 24, 2009; (east windows)
apr 17, 2009; (south – “icons”; east windows)
apr 8, 2009; (north—”moths” by joseph scheer & east windows)
mar 25, 2009; (south side windowettes)
mar 25, 2009; (“butterflies”)
mar 6, 2009; (south – “party”; east – “sparkle”)
feb 15, 2009; (east – “gallery”)
feb 15, 2009; (south – “fashion”)
jan 12, 2009; (east – “curtains”)

2008
dec 13, 2008; (mens store – “holiday 2008″)
dec 05, 2008; (all 3 sides – “holiday 2008 – calendar girls”)
nov 17, 2008; (south – “season’s greetings”)
oct 29, 2008; (east – “white wire”)
oct 17, 2008; (north – “zodiac”)
oct 10, 2008; (east – “a brief history” by mark gagnon)
sept 26, 2008; (south – “accessories”)
sept 19, 2008; (east – “chanel”, north – “fall”)
sept 05, 2008; (east – “fashion week”)
aug 14, 2008; (north – “chalkboard talk”)
aug 13, 2008; (east – “under construction“)
aug 08, 2008; (east – “death defying”)
july 17, 2008; (east – “sun prints” by brett day windham;
north – “birds on a line”)
july 07, 2008; (south – “hands down”)
june 26, 2008; (east – “4th of July”)
june 11, 2008; (north – “egyptian valances”)
june 05, 2008; (east – “doodles” & YSL)
may 30, 2008; (south – “summer vacation”)
may 23, 2008; (north – “string ahoy”)
may 16, 2008; (east – “photogenic”)
may 01, 2008; (east – “we are on the air”)
april 29, 2008; (east in progress)
april 23, 2008; (north – “spring time for bugs”)
april 16, 2008; (south – “tennis shoe pom poms”)
april 09, 2008; (east – “alice in bergdorf”)
mar 29, 2008; (“taking flight”)

2007
nov 17, 2007; (“Holiday 2007″— © Amy V Cooper)

2006
july 12, 2006; (“untitled”)

2005
dec 23, 2005; (“holiday 2005″)

For a couple of years now since I have moved here, I have been toying around with the idea of creating a reference of the Bergdorf Goodman window displays. I fell in love with them the first day that I walked by them. If you don’t know, Bergdorf Goodman is a higher end fashion store (like Barney’s) here in Manhattan. Their calling card, though, is their windows. They are the best in the business. BG changes them every two weeks or so and they never cease to amaze. I work across the street and so I pass them every day. Whether you’re a painter, designer, cabbie, cop, accountant, or pedestrian, they always have the ability to serve as inspiration. My hats off to the creative force. (starting in 1995, it had been Linda Fargo but since her promotion in 2007, David Hoey has taken over. Here is a great article discussing their roles.)

King David
David Hoey, window master at Bergdorf Goodman, surveying his empire.

Anyway, my idea has been to document them. Granted, this is not photography as art but rather, photography to document great art. I normally don’t do this sort of photography, but these windows warrant such treatment. They are much more creative than anything that I could come up with.

My original thought, two years ago, was to publish and maintain a reference annual. Currently, that’s a bit unfeasible but this blog is a perfect venue in the meantime. Subsequently, every change, I will post the latest window displays and they will become part of an archive that can be accessed from here on out. The design/set-ups are beautiful and I believe that they can be enjoyed by artists and non-artists alike.

Bergdorf Goodman has three storefronts: one along 57th (south side), one along 5th (east side), and one along 58th (north side). I realize that Bergdorf Goodman also has a store across the street (mens) but I will not be documenting those as frequently. Nothing personal. I, unfortunately, simply just don’t have the time.

South side of Bergdorf Goodman’s.

East side of Bergdorf Goodman’s.

North side of Bergdorf Goodman’s.

There are 18 windows in all. They seem to get switched out every two weeks according to their exposure. I will document them and post them to this website.

Listed at the beginning of this post is the running history of the Bergdorf Goodman window displays that I’ve shot. ¡Disfruta!

Rudy

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Other articles:
“A Dalí of Window Display,” NY Times, May 2003

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From nyc.com:
Standing at the crossroads of fashion at Fifth Avenue and 58th Street in New York City, Bergdorf Goodman is known throughout the world for elegance, luxury, and superior service.

Store Hours
Mon-Fri: 10am-8pm, Sat: 10am-7pm, Sun: 12pm-6pm

Discover the evolution of this New York legend below:
1899
Edwin Goodman works for Herman Bergdorf, an immigrant from Alsace, in his tailoring establishment just above Union Square in downtown Manhattan.
1906
Goodman purchases the store from Bergdorf and moves to the site where Rockefeller Center now stands.
1914
Goodman is the first couturier to introduce ready-to-wear, making Bergdorf Goodman the destination for premier American and French fashion.
1928
Bergdorf Goodman moves to its present location, the former site of the great Cornelius Vanderbilt mansion. With Goodman’s son, Andrew, as President, the store continues innovations such as an incomparable fur salon, the exclusive Bergdorf Goodman Number Nine perfume, and Miss Bergdorf, a ready-to-wear line for the younger customer.
1953
Goodman retires as the most celebrated merchant of his time, with many accolades including the Legion of Honor from France.
1986
“The Decorative Home on Seven” is created to house antiques, porcelains, silver, crystal, linens, stationery, home furnishings, and delicacies from around the world. Today, the floor is home to Jane Stubbs’ first-edition and one-of-a-kind books and prints, along with a special collection of books from Assouline. Luxury stationers Smythson of Bond Street, along with a bridal salon and gift registry, are also housed there.
1990
The Men’s Store opens its doors directly across the street at 745 Fifth Avenue.
1997
Formerly the Goodman family residence, the penthouse atop the store, is converted into the John Barrett Salon and Susan Ciminelli Day Spa.
1999
The Beauty Level opens directly below the main floor, offering 15,000 square feet of luxury with eight spa rooms exclusively for facials, skincare consultations and special treatments, and Goodman’s Cafe, serving lunch and afternoon tea.
2002
Artisans and craftspeople begin a dramatic restoration of the Main Floor of the Women’s Store.
2003
New boutiques open for CHANEL, Giorgio Armani, Gucci, and Yves Saint Laurent.
2004
bergdorfgoodman.com debuts in Fall 2004