It takes a mighty interesting shop window to catch the attention of passersby. A+ to those window dressers who inspire busy commuters to stop, tune out the street ruckus and take in their tableaus.

The best-known window dresser is probably the outspoken Simon Doonan who, for years, designed the windows at Barneys New York.  Doonan, whose books include Confessions of a Window Dresser, wrote: ‘My exhibitionist psychopathology was put to good use by the Pressman family, who hired me after reading about my punky dead cat and coffin windows.’

Some of the most striking store windows and interior displays can be found at vintage shops. With a hodgepodge of products and far fewer rules, the staff can take all sorts of creative risks. You can see imaginative and quirky vintage displays throughout Vancouver.

1. Mintage on Commercial Drive

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2. Salmagundi West on Cordova

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3. Front & Company on Main 

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4. Woo Vintage on Main 

By Elizabeth Newton
www.creatorsvancouver.com