Ginza Ecological Map SHISEIDO CREATIVE AND HAKUTEN

TOKYO What ingredients make a successful shop window? According to our jury, they must stop passers-by in their tracks, triggering them and rousing their curiosity. They should tell the story of a product or brand. And, due to their short lifespan, they should be as sustainable as possible.

Their chosen winner – Japanese skincare brand Shiseido’s Ginza Ecological Map designed by Shiseido Creative and Hakuten – was inspired by Tokyo’s ecology and natural beauty. A three-dimensional map of the surrounding district highlighted its natural elements, discovered through fieldwork and research involving Ginza residents. Over the course of a year, a grid system displayed different items relating to two themes, organisms and earth, as if they were scientific specimens.

‘There’s a narrative communicated through vignettes and a community spirit,’ said jury member Carlos Virgile, director of CV Design and Brands. ‘It doesn’t sell anything, which I think flips the concept of a window display upside down.’ The lack of a hard sell also won over Zen Zheng, design director at Leaping Creative: ‘Instead of showing an actual product or explaining a service, they show the consumer that they care about the environment and community. This is a very subtle way of selling the brand.’ hakuten.co.jp