2000

I had the idea for this one but unlike many of the other cards which were shot either outdoors or in public spaces where I could simply show up and do my thing, this idea required someone to give me permission to step into their store window and stand next to their mannequins. By this time, I had 8 prior cards (1992-1999) and so I walked from store to store with my previous cards in hand to show store managers the kind of thing I was doing and also to let them see it was my own personal project and not some big commercial shoot. I tried a bunch of stores on West 8th Street, which used to be lined with clothing and shoe stores. I went into over 10 stores asking if I could join their mannequins in their store window for the photo, and time after time I was told no. Finally, the manager at Le Chateau on Broadway said yes! (704 Broadway at East 4th)

Once I knew who I would be standing next to, I then studied the mannequins in Le Chateau’s window and noticed each of them had a pole holding them up. Off I went to a hardware store to fashion my own prop-pole so that I could fully emulate my mannequin brethren! It’s my favorite detail of the photo. I had made my own “sale” sign and “happy holidays” sign so that the fonts would match each other and when I got to the store for the shoot, I dressed in clothing from their racks so the price tags would be hanging off of me.

Geoff was obviously photographing from the other side of the glass which meant I couldn’t bug him as easily to keep shooting. The people in the foreground of the 2nd version (below) were actual pedestrians on Broadway who happened to stop and look in the window and were fascinated to see a human in the window.

Each year, if anyone was involved in helping me bring a scene to life, I always gave them a finished card afterwards. This year, I brought a card to the store manager of Le Chateau.