Designer

……………….From the very first window I saw of this Christian Dior themed window display,  I new I was in for something very special….Each window told a Christian Dior story in MINIATURES!……The first window “Carousel of Dreams”, featured maquettes of tiny clothes on tiny dress forms….beautifully executed with precise  detail……During WW11 the fashion houses of Paris could not afford to put on shows, and fabric was at a minimum…..so the different fashion houses, Dior included, made these tiny examples of the collection in white fine muslin for clients to look at. Mr. Dior made the sketches and the ateliers, or sample rooms, made these maquettes as they were called. The clients would come in and look at the maquettes and select the styles they wanted, and then they were shown the fabrics that were avail to make them in. This went on through all of the war years…..Many of the houses have kept these maquettes for history……The bottom right miniatures represent the years after the war…….I had scene original maquettes at the Dior exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum so it was wonderful to see the company represented in this way………The photo at the upper right represents the building in Paris that Dior is in till this day…..I can’t express enough how incredible each detail of each piece in every window was….You just have to see it for yourself…I can’t imagine how long it took to make them….and then install them!!!….For a better look visit my FaceBook page…They should do a movie or documentary on these magnificent windows!

…………………There were miniatures inside plexiglass globes of all things related to Dior and France such as a mini statue of Liberty……There was even a store front miniature of SAKS 5th Ave with the light show that was going on now . Each of the open cases, second photo in from the top right, had a different vignette…. Every window was so creative. It was a superb collaboration!

…………………After the Radio City show was over it was a mad dash to go over and see the tree…….It was wall to wall people!!!…There are barricades so you can’t get too close to the tree, which I’m sure is a good thing the way the world is today. I remember a time when you could practically walk under it!…..The ice skating rink with the golden stature of Prometheus, created in 1934, hasn’t changed since I was a child…..Somethings should never change. I remember as a teenager I used to go skating there with my cousins….so so long ago…..It’s all very nostalgic!!! The one thing that has changed that I find extremely disturbing is the smell of marijuana in the air!!! I want the smell of balsam…..not pot!….With all of the children there, Rockefeller Center should be a pot free zone!……..I have nothing against marijuana, but it does kill the mood. I guess it helps some get in the mood!……….When we looked at the tree enough we turned to look up the Rockefeller Mall at the wire Angels all lit up that have been there as long as I can remember….What was knew was the magnificent light show on the entire face of Saks 5th Avenue sponsored by Christian Dior….It was simply incredible!!! All of the people were silent just watching this show….that in its’ self was a Christmas miracle!….Then Robyn and I headed across the street to look at the Saks windows. I didn’t know what they were or what to expect…..but they too were sponsored by Christian Dior, and were IMHO the best windows Saks has done in ages…..They deserve a separate post……coming tomorrow!

……………….If you have never seen the Show at Radio City Music Hall it must be on your bucket list!!!! The last time I saw it was two years ago just before it closed due to COVID…..This is so much more than a show…..It’s a SPECTACLE…..an EXPERIENCE you must have……For those who poh poh it or think it’s corny….they obviously haven’t see it, or lost the spirit of wonder. It always amazes me the precision, not only of the Rockettes who are always perfection, but the entire production, the lighting and special effects that take place all over the entire hall! You are totally surrounded with incredible effects….The timing is that of an air traffic controller!…I’m sure much of it is programed by computer, but the timing still had to be worked out and rehearsed and choreographed for weeks!!!! You even get three D glasses for a segment of the show, when Santa in his sled flies through the air to NYC from the North Pole…. There is snow that falls from the ceiling, and streamers that are shot into the air! Little “Ice Fairies” that literally fly overhead I’m sure are tiny drones….Some even crash into the audience, but the announcer gives a prewarning just in case it lands on you!….The nativity scene with the live animals always touches the heart. At last nights performance one of the camels didn’t quite want to cooperate!…..I thought is was actually going to bolt across the stage….now wouldn’t that have been a spectacle!!!…The dance of the wooded soldiers, a perennial favorite….never gets old…Robyn knows a Rockette who told her they could hardly see with those tall hats, and they are a little afraid of the girls in front falling on them….The last few girls actually do have a pretty hard landing!…..I would have taken many more pictures….but….I was told very nicely by an usher “no cameras or cell phones allowed”…….I was a bad boy!…….Well, you’ll just have to see it for yourself……I guess I’ve seen it maybe 7 or 8 times, or maybe more over my life….Jac loved to see the show!!!…..You will too!