NOT JUST A SHOP’S WINDOW REFLECTIONS

DPS students interviewed after the design & install of the Not Just A Shop Window Display

What was the inspiration behind the window display design?

We were inspired by a Chinese New Year illustration made by one of our illustrators, Flora Lu, in celebration of 2023 being the Year of the Rabbit. As we were nearing the beginning of the summer season during the design process, we created our mural under the theme of ‘Spring into Summer’, presenting the rabbit characters from the original illustration in a floral picnic scene.

We were also inspired by the many vibrant floral-themed products in the shop, which we built upon by incorporating flowers that bloom in the summer into the window display.

What was the process of designing the window display like?

We approached the design process with a collaborative mindset. There was a lot of iteration and idea exchange across eight illustrators, particularly towards the final look of the floral arch.

Working collaboratively, we were also able to consider more ambitious ideas and approach the project with a variety of skills and knowledge at our disposal.

We also took trips to not just a shop to better envision our ideas in the physical space, and had a lot of support from Nat and Zoë from the shop team on how our design could best support the existing products. Our design process also extended into the days of installation, as we adapted our design to better suit the Not just a shop storefront and interior.

What would you like the viewers to take away from your work?

We designed the window display in celebration of spring and summer, and so we hope that our mural brings an extra bit of joy and colour to viewers as we step into sunny summer days.

Have you ever worked on such a project before?

This is our first collaborative mural project as a collective. As illustrators, we generally worked independently or contributed separately to shared briefs, so this was definitely an eye-opening and insightful experience for everyone involved.

How was your experience and what was your favourite part of this project?

Flora (Flora Lu): During the creation of this window display project, I was responsible for painting the rabbits. It was also my favourite part of this project. Because the rabbits were designed by me, I could feel the joy of my work from illustration to reality in the process of painting, although it really took me a long time to complete the colouring of the rabbits.

Sze (Sze Hang Lo): As I took on a facilitating role for this project, it was really satisfying to see the window display come together from beginning to end. My favourite part was when the afternoon sunlight shone into the shop as the team painted – it lit up the paint from the other side of the glass and created this beautifully vibrant effect.

How did you get the opportunity?

Flora’s Chinese New Year illustration was initially designed for an application to a commercial mural brief, which fell through. It was after we spoke to our DPS course leader Sarah Temple that we were able to revisit the idea as a collective for not just a shop, and so the window display opportunity was generously given to us by Sarah and Zoë from the shop team. We’re also very grateful to all the tutors and technicians who supported us in the design process and helped the project to come to fruition.