DALLAS, Aug 21, 2006/ FW/ --- Even with Back-to-School as the biggest crowd drawer for the month of August, high street fashion stores and boutiques do not emphasize or highlight it in their store windows.

Of course, they also benefit from the increased traffic at the mall; perhaps, they even have a quiet sale going on, though chances are it is a ‘change of season sale’ with fall just around the corner, instead of Back-to-School.

But, overall, the mood of their store windows is the label’s or the season’s current looks.

Nordstrom, a high-end specialty store entitled its windows ‘In Fine Form.’ (See top photo and photo at right) Realistic mannequins wearing the latest looks of the season from different designer labels are the one on display since the fall merchandise is already in stores.

Back-to-School sale falls into the cusp of the change of the seasons from summer to fall, which generally also signals a change of decorations inside the store. It becomes a corporate decision which one to highlight, especially in high-end specialty stores like Nordstrom.

According to the NRF, college students will spend $5.78 billion for clothing and accessories when they go back to the university this fall. Though the figure is big, it is also expected to be a ‘flat year’ though shoe sales is expect to have a 13.0% increase to $2.26 billion.

So, the question, ‘Do we highlight the clothes and accessories or do we highlight back-to-school?’ becomes very important. In this case, Nordstrom chose to emphasize fashion.

For high-street fashion houses like Versace, Gucci and Louis Vuitton, the decision is more cut and dry. Their clientele follows their own beat. But because luxury consumers also have children leaving for college or going back to the university, these high-street fashion houses also benefit from the back-to-school sale season.

Versace, (see photo at left) which is staging its own revival under the creative helm of Donatella chose to highlight the new iconoclastic Versace Grecian-inspired graphics. This season, a purse and the headless gold signature Versace mannequin dominate this double store window.

This year is Gucci’s 85th anniversary, as passersby learn from its store window. Louis Vuitton is playing with ‘motion’ as it displays three bags that ‘rotate’ randomly, that actually make people stop and look.

Still, the ‘coolest’ window is Tiffany’s with its ‘block ice.’ It’s a pun; with the merchandise on display is diamond jewelry. It was also very refreshing, that can subconsciously cool you off especially coming from outside in Texas’ 100 degree summer weather.

Gucci Louis Vuitton

Tiffany & Co. Tiffany & Co.