California Apparel News

For CM Squared Designs, creating a well-dressed window display is a fusion of art and commerce.

Founded four years ago by ChadMichael Morrisette, the company has become well-known throughout Los Angeles for its beautiful, provocative and sometimes controversial artistic installations. A beautiful window display can help attract attention, inspire customers to enter a store and create a visual image for a brand.

Morrisette and partner Mito Aviles have designed displays ranging from the high-fashion, mummified mannequins at Jenni Kayne’s West Hollywood, Calif., boutique to a graphic, visceral, blood-splattered, dental-themed Halloween display at the Los Angeles Sporting Club.

Most recently, a window at Alpha created as a tributeto the 10th-anniversary edition of Helmut Newton’s book “SUMO,” garnered public controversy and attention from the press when a naked mannequin, complete with pubic hair, stopped traffic and was contested by the late Newton’s estate.

But being contentious is a necessary part of the business. “Along with art comes risk,” Morrisette said. “You have to be willing to take a risk. Whether that is being edgy or provocative to get attention, you want to push that a little bit.”

After all, exposure is the main point of visual displays, and controversy can fuel the fire. “It’s about getting people to stop and notice the brand,” Morrisette said. “Even if they don’t come in [the store], the fact that they stopped and know your store’s name is what it’s all about.”

The philosophy has worked well for CM Squared Designs, as the company’s list of clients has included chic boutiques such as Coco deMer, Brunette, Fred Segal Flair and Post 26. In addition, the design duo is planning displays for the upcoming holiday season for Orange, Arcade, Alpha, Jenni Kayne, Diavolina, Madison and Claudia Milan.

Early beginnings

Morrisette began in the window-display business in 1997, working as a men’s trimmer at Nordstrom and later at Saks Fifth Avenue in San Diego.

In 1999, Morrisette moved to Los Angeles, where he cut his teeth at Good Gracious Events for six years, doing party planning as well as buffet, theme and table-top designs.

In 2005, he began free-lancing as a window dresser for Kaviar and Kind, a jewelry and furniture store on Sunset Boulevard, and slowly expanded the business from referrals.

Aviles entered the picture in 2007. He has a diversified background in interior design and politics. Formerly Aviles was a designer-design consultant at Waldo’s Designs, Alexandra Von Furstenburg and Ligne Roset.

Morrisette and Aviles thrive on creative expression and have found many outlets for their work. Artistic projects have included creating visual displays at The Standard hotel on Sunset Boulevard, works featured in Angeleno magazine’s Art of Fashion event at the Los Angeles Art Show and installations featured at the World of WonderStorefront Gallery.

At least once a month, the pair creates installations on the rooftop of their house, located at 1253 N. Orange Grove Ave. in West Hollywood. Their central location provides a built-in, drive-by audience for works that might be too opinionated or edgy for retail clients.

Past installations include holiday themes for the Fourth of July and Earth Day and political statements, such as the now infamous Sarah Palin effigy where a mannequin dressed like the former vice presidential candidate was hung from their rooftop.

Tailor made

But the company isn’t just about creating controversy. CM Squared is focused on its clients, working with them to promote and represent their brand. Visual aesthetics are adapted to each brand, and they take on no more than two of the same type of store to keep the look original.

It helps that CM Squared has its own collection of over 100 mannequins to bring each concept to life. Their collection includes high-end and lifelike designer mannequin brands such as Patina-V, Rootstein, Filoso, Pucci, Goldsmith and Greneker. The mannequins make each display look flawless, even when working on a limited budget. In late January, the pair plans to launch a mannequin rental company called Oh Mannequin.

Creating a successful window requires a combination of design skills, but a designer also has to utilize wit and humor to capture people’s attention. “I want boutique owners to realize I’m not coming in just to dress windows,” Morrisette said. “It’s like having an art installation in a retail format.”

Inspiration for their work comes from a variety of places, but most windows are driven by holidays, the retail calendar or special events. It’s no secret that the holiday season is the premier opportunity for stores to garner attention with fanciful installations.

People walk the streets in many cities to see holiday displays, and many are photographed and publicized worldwide. The exposure of a well-done window in the press or cyberspace can have just as much impact as having people see it on the street.

Morrisette said his goal is for Los Angeles to become a destination for visual displays. Although there are more people on any given sidewalk in walking cities such as New York, windows in Los Angeles garner a lot of attention from street traffic. “I’ve watched the traffic flow and I’ve watched how many people look at me while I’m working,” Morrisette said. “There is so much traffic in this city that if there is a red light near your window, you are guaranteed a sitting audience for a few minutes every 10 minutes. It may not be for long and they may not have the ability to stop and take it in, but there is such heavy traffic flow that the window is still seen.”