Barneys Axes Violent Window Display
Barneys New York is a little red in the face after a bloody window display offended customers.
The concept for the E. 61st Street treatment, whch featured long black dresses by Helmut Lang and A.L.C., was "Dressed To Kill." With red paint splattered all over the windows, the mannequins were posed as though they were (unsuccessfully) fending off attackers.
Creepy!
One Barneys custome told The NY Daily News that she found it "distasteful," when she was shopping with her daughter. Another said she found it "a little crazy."
The mannequins were quickly removed once it became clear that customers found the display more disturbing than enticing.
Barneys' creative director, Simon Doonan, said, "We encourage our display people to be creative. We give them a lot of latitude, but this clearly crossed the line. It's as if someone saw a bad Hitchcock movie."
What do U think, bbs?? Are you offended by the graphic display??
J. Lo, Not So Much A Bitch Anymore!
It's Art, maybe alittle crazy, but it was someone's vision! Look out for that person though!
…not to step on an artist's toes, but we have enough violence eye catching as the window appears.
I think it's a good idea, i really like it.
Anyone who has suffered violence would find this distasteful! Glorifying and promoting violence and bloodshed as somehow desirable or attractive?!?! Who'd be prompted or enticed to buy these clothes on this platform!? If anything, I'd think people would avoid the store and the label. If not for glorifying savagery, then just plain stupidity and bad taste.
I absolutely love it
i like it actually
It doesn't sell the clothes but it's not offensive.
I worked for Barneys for 3 years. We gave our display people a lot of leverage to be creative, and they are artists. But this is just gross. No thanks.
I think that Helmut needs to walk through South Central on a Friday night.
I think it's a darker kind of elegant.
God. Anyone who complains about this being offensive is a drama queen! "Dresses that kill" haha its just a metaphor.. I think its a really good idea. Its creative. It actually gets peoples attention… Unlike boring manakins that just stand there. People are so anal now a days.. if you breath to loudly… you might get in trouble… or if you wear to much eye liner… you might offend someone!! Watch outt!!!
I don't like it at all but i'm sure Perez that you loved it, you know, being a misogynist and all you must have enjoyed it.
lululemon does stuff to get attention like this in their display windows… it works by getting attention unlike the typical dull window displays .. it's not art; it's marketing
it is art , but w t f is it trying to say?
They Over Reacted , It`s Not That Serious .
I think the display was creative, maybe a little over the top though…
It's arty and funky. People are just too oversensitive nowadays.
I think it is interesting and intriguing, and yes a lil creepy…thats why I like it…plus the "Dress To Kill" is clever…
Perez.. Your shit sucks today. Where's the juice?
I get it in the sense that it's visually interesting, the manequin's poses are unique and someone took a balsy risk. Besides that though, it's one of those things where someone that had experienced being shot at could easily become anxious and upset. Also, there is so much more media coverage of gun violence, not sure that there really is more gun violence but it is reported that gun posession goes up all the time. This is making gun violence glamorous and a woman getting shot at on the street is not to be glorified. I wonder what the reaction would have been if it had been a male manequin?
not offended by them, but think they are stupid. great seller. YES, that is the perfect dress for the next time I am being chased down the street by weapon yielding maniacs. Besides, the dresses are so dark and the blood, well, so bright, that the blood draws you away from the dresses. How much attention are they going to get? also nice for those suffering from post tramatic stress syndrome, like alot of those in NYC from 9/11 Nice Barneys.
Although I understand that some people would find it alittle distastful, I for one do not. Violence is a part of human behaviour and some people find it appealing. Like in movies? Action? Horror? A matter of fact most movies have some sort of violence depicted in them. What makes a window display of the same idea so offensive?
I LOVE IT!!! BRAVO!!!! look it got your attention!
Leave the "art" for the galleries. These displays are distracting, cheap looking, ugly and don't sell the clothes.
not at all! art should elicit some kind of emotional response, and that's exactly what the display did. however, i don't think we should publicly exhibit (literally for this matter) something so unnatural and awful as violence…america really should stop promoting and glorifying it. but anyway, i think barney's was really ballsy to display this….especially since most of their customers are probably conservative close-minded yuppies.
Re: Pixie_xo – i completely agree, haha.
it doesn't even look sick though, just red paint =S
at first i didnt get i was lke "how is this offensive? its a couple of mannequins and some chairs" i can see how it could be offensive to people who have been attacked. i like the labels name "dressed to kill" its clever maybe they could find a different way to convey the same message
….and that is the worst blood spatter I've seen. Looks like a preschoolers drawing.
I love it. It's totally creative. It's very out-of-the-box.
AWESOME!
Leave the art in the museum. People do not need to use violence and gore to try to sell a dress for heaven's sake. I know I must seem "old fashioned" but maybe I am. The people who did that should have been fired. There seems to be something wrong with them.
I liked it! Looks cool
I don't really get this.. Unless it was some kind of contention, I understand people who got offended or found it just ugly.
i loved it. such a good idea. it maybe creepy but its art work.
No, I think it's creepy but it's so New York!
Wow that is the coolest idea yet. How the hell do you get to be a window designer? I've always wanted to work a job where I could be a little morbid and sadistic.
It's brilliant of course lamos had a problem with it.
Unfortunately, fashion has been taking a lot of leeway with adding violence into it's marketing. I don't really know why our clothes are so angry.
Of course it's offensive. I mean they need to have a little respect. Nothing with a woman or anyone being mugged with splattered blood is respectful. It's distasteful!
Do we really need more ways to insert violence into society? I'm all for artistic expression but this clearly crossed the line. I would expect to see this at an art show but it's not appropriate for a store window that little kids walk by.
My first reaction was a little shocked, a little horrified. But it was an original concept. I just wouldn't be enticed to buy bloodstained clothes is all…
The display WAS a bit trashy, but do people REALLY need to bitch about something so insignificant?
its actually really cool!
More evidence of the moral decline in civilization! Utterly sickening. The whole entertainment industry, fashion industry - the "creative" industry are mentally perverted.
Barneys New York - THEY ARE WACKED! I will never shop there a-gain!
i don't think that was "distasteful." i think that is amazing -it's someone's form of art and it looked fierce. it's not like they're promoting violence and saying "yes, go out and slaughter someone right now!" it's just saying that you should dress that way -dress to kill and i LOVE it.
Hitchcock made a bad movie?
I actually kind like this. The way everything is set up looks very pleasing to the eye but it is disturbing at the same time.
disturbing but pretty awesome”
Way to glorify violence against women Barneys! Maybe your next display can feature a likeness of Chris Brown.
Glad I'm not the only one who complained. It was sickening and totally disrespectful of their mostly female clientele, survivors or not.
There's enough violence in real life, on tv and the internet, thank you…..it certainly doesn't inspire me to buy clothing! I found it a little offensive…how about a man bent over with blood on him? Does that little visual make you want to buy something? Or take a shower? Thought so..
I think it's great to have something unique in the store windows! I appreciate the creativity and it's fun to see something different for a change.
I think it's awesome!
I like it. Just more proof Americans are way too sensitive and complain too much.
How can you remove art b/c it offends some overly sensitive morons? Wrong.
Our country will remain conservative in nature and completely lacking in arts. So sad.
Okay, it was just an ad, but this is my problem with it. Who gives a FUCK about that ugly, long, OUT OF STYLE, grey shitty dress?!?!?!!? HOW DARE THEY even put that piece of crap in the window like that? Nobody needs that dress, or dresses like that except for weird old women. What does the bloody ad have to do with that FUGLY dress anyway? I would think they would do that with a white or red ensemble, as to make a statement. That HIDEOOUS dress doesn't even look right on a mannequin! The ad isn't a problem at all - it's that grey blob the mannequin is wearing!
The windows are GREAT!!!!!!!!! Probably some rich bit#h with NO TASTE complained!
Barneys is always known for their innovative windows. This is the world we live in now, get use to it upper west side chickies.
Its not for public display. I can see it in a gallary maybe where the person had the choice to see it..
I like it but I can see where it could offend someone
Re: heatherissocoollike –
I don't see how violence is unnatural at all. I think most animals are hardwired to cause violence or use violence as a means to obtaining something. Maybe not a good thing, but the difference is we can learn to control it.
ITS A LITTLE MUCH FOR A BARNEY'S WINDOW DISPLAY.
I like it!! I live in NYC so its nice to stop and look at cool art
haha i like it
i love it!! fashion+gore= amazingness
If you want to be an artist, go to art school or have your own display. This is a DEPARTMENT STORE not a gallery. I wasn't offended but the display was disturbing and very distasteful. Barneys should be more careful with their displays.
ok this is twisted. not something to be put out like that. I mean you are trying to sell items and Seeing myself getting killed in something dosent relle make me want to wear it. lmao
Art or not I find it disturbing and would not want my children to see this. Then we wonder why we are desensitized to violence. And I thought you Mr. Perez out of all people were against any kind of violence.
Re: maxey love – Learn how to read…DRESS TO KILL
That's a bit much. There's no need for that kind of display in a window advertising clothing.
Art yes but commercial art. Children will walk by it, see it and react to it.
.
Try again.
As art, it's creative and eye-catching.
As a store display, probably not the best choice.
i think its really cool anyone who thinks this is offennsive clearly has never seen any horror movies
not offended, just slightly disturbed
its an interesting display
rad!
I think it's PLAIN STUPID, ’cause it's sending the message " dressed to BE killed"… not to kill
Re: terminally sane – 69 Life is a horror. Why do I want to see it badly acted?
unnecessary.
The display people got it backwards-they are supposed to be dresses to KILL not TO BE KILLED- duh! The mannequins should have been the attackers, not the attackees…
This is quite hilarious.
They let their display people be creative, yet they should always approved the idea before it actually goes to public. They should have know it was going to "cross the line" before it was displayed… Just covering their tracks.
It's not offensive to me personally, just quite odd that someone had that particular idea in their head. Maybe someone should be "let go".
It's art people. You don't have to like it. But you shouldn't interrupt it. If anyone knows Barney's that's what their windows are all about. Freedom of expression.
The prices at Barney's are more offensive!
Takes a lot 4me 2b offended by art, so no. I do find the display lame, inappropriate and pretentious.
The art in store windows serves 2 showcase the artistry of the products sold, and the "artist" here clearly lost sight of his/her purpose and focused on showcasing his/her own bad talent (the display isn't even well put together).
Completely unoriginal.
That is a little too much for a department store that people take their kids to. Maybe a fashion show or even an art exhibit but not there.
Re: b a t k i s s –
#78
Hahahaha. So true
i think it looks cool
Yawn! NEXT!
if it had been paris no one would have said a word. even in new york everyone is straight-laced and breeder-based. heaven forbid we expose a child's eyes to such filth!
oh HOW creative… lame
Re: beasee – ..l..
i think they crossed the line on this one
EW! That's just gross. I know it's meant to be "art" and "creative", but I can see how people find it offensive. I mean, I know it's "dresses that kill" which is cool and all, but I just don't like the red paint splatters, THATS what makes it distastful. There are other ways they could have gone about doing a display for "Dresses that Kill"
im usually all for freedom of expression, but thats a little much. a window display? what if somebody walked across it who had just lost someone to murder? its a little too much for me.
Re: lane756 – Art is meant to get emotion and response, but THIS is NOT the right "emotion". When I here "dress to kill" I think high fashion and glamorous…. not murder. Thats what made this distastful. There are young kids in the mall also, would you want to be the parent trying to explain that the display is imitating when your child asks "mommy, what's that?" Theres already enough violence on the streets and in movies, we don't also need to think about violence and death while SHOPPING!
glad they took the chance…you win some you loose some.
there is much of violence in the news already we dont need to see at stores!
Common anyone who has been a victim of a violent crime this just makes them rememeber those moments.
Violence against women is never cool. Would you find it artsy if it depicted homo bashing?
As a work of art it's a cool idea, but when I'm shopping I want to feel like I have sunshine coming out of my ace. I wonder what kind of display could invoke that feeling?
STOP COPYING TED CASABLANCA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HE IS BETTER THAN YOU IN EVERYWAY. IF YOUR GOING TO BE A BLOGGER, ATLEAST COME UP WITH YOUR OWN SHIT! SHEESH.
I actually think it's really cool! People are too sensitive.
I dont see whats wrong with it,
fashion is just another form of art , and there are pretty gruesome art pieces
this is just another one of them .
I like it because it shows creativity , it gives fashion a new name
people are just closed minded to see it .
****************************************************************Any store that glorifies violence against women (didn't see any suits or tuxedos in the crime scene) should be crossed off the shopping list. Don't just "be offended". Take your $$$ elsewhere, make your being offended matter.
Re: abyssopelagic – Totally agree. If I wanted to see creepy art I would go to an art gallery.
Not offended, just think it's stupid. The displays used to use sex, now that they've worn that out, they're using violence. It's not clever, it's just another attempt to shock. Violence is not cool.