WindowsWear started with a simple idea. The co-founders wondered – these unique, creative window displays that brands invest millions in are up for a few weeks and then gone forever…what if we could photograph and archive them so they live on? A decade later, WindowsWear has done exactly that, building an extensive archive of over 200,000 window displays including over 1,000 brands and dating back to 1931. But it has become so much more than that too. Co-founders Jon Harari and Raoul Tovar have expanded the database to include digital marketing and retail innovation, and perhaps most importantly, they’ve built a community of students, designers and brand leaders who gain insight and inspiration from the platform.
In the latest episode of our podcast, The Phygital Lab, we sat down with Jon and Raoul to learn more about the WindowsWear story and hear their take on how design and technology can merge to shape the future of retail spaces. We discussed everything from the importance of visual storytelling to the fatigue retailers face from an endless cycle of innovating. But what stood out most to us was the power and impact of the community that WindowsWear has built over the last 10 years, and the lessons business owners can learn from their approach. We’ve broken this wisdom down into three main points.
Make valuable connections
A lot of brands think of their communities as a group of people who communicate directly with the brand and vice versa. But there’s huge value in facilitating connections within your community as well. Tovar discusses how WindowsWear connects individuals within the same brand and industry, promoting collaboration and information sharing. This community approach enhances engagement and innovation, benefiting both individuals and brands. This might seem like something that could only work for B2B but consumer brands can benefit from this approach too. A cosmetics brand could host events to bring together make-up artists for networking and collaboration or a wellness brand could host retreats to get their community members working out with like-minded people. Helping people make new and valuable connections sets your brand apart and drives loyalty.
Take a phygital approach
The WindowsWear community includes an online hub where members can set up a profile, spotlight work they’re proud of and even tag their collaborators. Global members get a huge amount of value from this platform, with the ability to connect and converse with each other, discover news and trends, and even hire or be hired! So, you would be forgiven for thinking there’s no need for in-person events. But, from their very inception, WindowsWear has taken a phygital approach, and it’s no different in their community building. As well as hosting regular in-person events, they also run an annual awards ceremony, bringing together and celebrating the best visual creatives in the industry. It’s never too late to go phygital – brands that have built engaged online communities can always introduce real-life meetups and digital apps or forums can be launched within in-person communities.
Celebrate your people
This database isn’t just about collecting and archiving content, it’s about celebrating creativity and retail innovation. WindowsWear brings this into their community by making space for creatives to share the work they’re proud of. By encouraging students to join the community, they display an inclusive and accessible attitude, making space for everyone to spotlight their achievements. Brands can take inspiration from this and create room – online or in-person – for their audience to celebrate themselves. For a business brand, this might be through industry awards and for a consumer brand, it could be through empowerment-focused campaigns.
Platforms like WindowsWear have made a huge impact in the retail industry, fostering collaboration and innovation within the sector. A database at its core, their focus on community building and engagement has propelled them to be the world’s largest creative resource for brands and retailers.
