Lettered Walls

It doesn't look like this anymore. They changed it up again. But this is how it looked inside the Anthropologie on State street sometime mid November. I took the pictures because I love letters, and this wall seemed to be something out of one of my dreams. I love the idea of a world scattered with loose letters -- over the walls, overhead, underfoot. I want to make poetry installations like this -- poems you can walk through -- room to room to room. No hallways, no order -- only the flow and flux of letters joining and cleaving.

I secretly think that I am good at predicting trends. Well, let me rephrase that. I don't predict trends, but rather I feel like I begin to see themes/images/aesthetic sensibilities that have previously preoccupied my affection suddenly popping up everywhere a year or two later. This must happen to everyone, right? I mean, I must be prone to notice letters as a trend because I am interested in letters.

But I also love the look of birds and birdcages, and Anthropologie was also decorated with those. Anthropologie was also decked out with loads of Albert Serra images and wondercabinet-type knick-knacks.


















And multi-colored silhouettes. I love that stuff.



















But I don't necessarily love to buy things in Anthropologie. Here and there I find something I like, but I much prefer the decor to what they actually sell.

Anyway, I can't help but wonder what happens to all the stuff from these stores when they take it down. Does anybody know?

Store decor of this sort is really a trend in and of itself. Anthropologie's sister store, Urban Outfitters, also has lots of instore not-for-sale trimmings. The thing is, I actually sort of hate shopping lately. I mean, it's pretty stupid. But I do like the feel of some of these stores. I like the feel of Sephora -- like being in a big pink candy box -- but I only go in there to shop for other people. And even then, I feel like I'm drawn to packaging and color and design more than I am to the actually product. I wonder if this is related to the trend of virtual shopping where kids pay real dollars to clothe their avatars in virtual duds? Or to the counter trend of stores like etsy where you can find all sorts of unique, hand-made treasures?

I think shopping is ending. Or changing. I mean, we're getting near then end of the line, no? So this is my pseudo-trend prediction for today. I know that shopping won't really end, but a real shift is underfoot. What happens when these lifestyle stores interface with mass production? Or when stores produce mountains of poorly made, inexpensive goods that are the something like paper plates. Eventually, something has to give.

What do you think? Is shopping really satisfying?