Early birds (clockwise from left): A prototype of an otherworldly bird, inspired by a lifelong obsession with master puppeteer Jim Henson’s quirky and charming creations; critters in the making; artist extraordinaire Sam using Elmer’s glue (every crafter’s best friend) to hand apply finishing touches.

Creature feature: A flock of fine-feathered friends, ready to make their appearance (all the eyes, beaks and pom-pom plumage were carefully created to give each bird its own personality).

Bird’s-eye view: The final product, complete with hand-applied glittered papier-mâché eggs and nests made from shredded silver Mylar.

From top left:
1. No, it’s not a mini trampoline! We used a scrim—a screen made of thinly woven gauze material—to create the perfect light for each shot.
2. The office on wheels.
3. Our prop designer, Tracy, gets the lay of the land.
4. Our digital tech goes to great lengths to see through the camera (and to look like a space robot).
5. We just couldn’t get our props to stop horsing around.
6. Our stylists, Ashley and Jack, take in the view—and get some much-needed time off their feet.

The sign of the times: our newest stand-alone suiting shop at 50 Hudson (and Thomas Street) in NYC’s trendy Tribeca neighborhood. (Who says suits have to be all buttoned-up?)

Divine inspiration: the mood board our visual design virtuosos used to tailor-make the old haberdashery feel of our new Ludlow Shop. What moved them? A mix of mid-century modern art, vintage industrial tools and nineteenth-century antiques (including an original 1950s George Nelson for Omni shelving unit).

Learn more about the Ludlow Shop at 50 Hudson

Holiday muse: The inspiration—the idea of paper cutouts and Nordic landscapes—initially came from the lighting and home accessory designs of Tord Boontje.

Color story: We liked the idea of a white-on-white window (as opposed to red and green) because we have so much color in the clothes and accessories that we wanted to highlight and not detract from it. We decided to explore wool felt as a material because it’s warm and adds texture in a subtle way.

Season’s planning: Designing for the holidays is very different from designing windows the rest of the year because it requires so much advance planning and coordination. We start developing concepts in early summer!

Design moments: My favorite part of the design process is brainstorming with my super-talented team and pulling inspiration from different sources. The most challenging aspect is staying within budget, but it forces us to get creative!

(image credits: deer, snow, lights, tord boontje 1, 2)