A Window Trend We Love: Inflatables: Particularly A Balloon Mermaid

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Thats right its a balloon mermaid. Well, actually its a twin-tailed siren, but we feel like this act of commercial artistic parody deserves (at the very least) a round of golf-applause.

Lately we've seen bunches of inflatables in the windows of several stores. On the high end, Yohji Yamamoto's super duper pool raft skirt at Ikram and on the younger and more playful end, Frankie's on the Park's Clark Street windows designed by Kelly Appleton.

Walking by Starbucks on Wabash at Ontario last night we noticed the quirkiest demonstration of inflatables in window that we've seen in a long time. This part woman part bird nymph was perched atop a majestic mountain of Tribute Blend beans and Tribute Blend Via keeping her watchful eyes on the store. Her eyes were done up in all her west cost glory and her hair was bauble-y black "braided" latex. But really the show stopper here is the nubble down under she's packin' which we didn't notice from outside the store. From what we gather it was made by Matthew, a native Chicagoan now living in San Francisco occasionally coming back to Streeterville to visit his mother, Tama.

Remembering Greek Mythology from our early childhood education we recall that the Siren was the one who wanted to lure Odysseus' sailors to the shore to be eaten alive and groped by the caffeinated creepsters. Comparing our window shopping experience last night to the origins of the Starbucks logo, we think this little inflatable babe in the window did a good job of luring us into our third Starbucks of the day with her entrancing sea song.
· Starbucks [Official Site]
· Ikram [Official Site]
· Fankie's on the Park [Official Site]
Photography Credit: Amy Creyer and Kelly Appleton

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Ikram

15 E Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611 (312) 587-1000 Visit Website

Starbucks

38 E Ontario, Chicago Il