At the start of the new 2025 buying season, CAST is pleased to present you, as a visitor or exhibitor, with a series of articles on a connecting theme. As an entrepreneur, you understand better than anyone the power of marketing and brand identity. One of the many tools that contribute to a strong brand identity is visual merchandising. It is not only about what is placed in the display but also how it is presented.

In the coming weeks, former Schoenenkwartier curator Inge Specht will unravel the history of the shop window and the changes in the streetscape over the centuries. She will also take you on a journey through the world's most beautiful shopping streets and analyze striking window display concepts. In this blog, we begin by looking at the past: what did shop windows look like in earlier times?

Obstacles on the sidewalk
People recognized the importance of display windows even in earlier times. However, back then, attracting customers inside was not yet the primary goal. In past centuries, shops were typically located in residential buildings, with the front part serving as a store and the back and upper floors as living quarters. Stained-glass windows let in little daylight and gave customers hardly any view of the interior.

Additionally, countless obstacles cluttered the narrow sidewalks—usually no more than 85 centimeters wide—which were crowded with cellar hatches, entrance steps, and other obstructions. The only solution was to display merchandise outside.

The signboard
In the 17th century, many Amsterdam shopfronts featured removable wooden windows and folding lower shutters. These shutters served as display counters, and goods were hung on the facade as much as possible. Valuable, theft-prone items were placed in glass-fronted wooden display cases. A wooden awning protected both the retailer and merchandise from the elements.

Daylight and artificial light
During the 18th century, wooden facades with folding shutters gradually gave way to brick facades. Stained glass was also replaced with clear glass, allowing for more visibility into the store. Retail activity increasingly moved indoors, benefiting both merchants and customers. With fewer obstacles on the sidewalk, passersby could now peek inside more easily. Illuminated display cases mounted on outer walls enhanced the appeal.

A luminous landmark in the city
However, it wasn't until the mid-19th century that the first stores with large glass shop windows appeared in Amsterdam's shopping streets. These brightly lit windows created a striking new landmark in the city, which had previously been quite dark at night.
At the time, large floor-to-ceiling glass panes did not yet exist; instead, smaller panes were set into wooden frames. Shelves were mounted at the frame height, each showcasing different goods. There was still no storytelling in displays. Interestingly, it was around this time that the word "shop window" entered the Dutch language, originating from the French word "étalage", meaning display case.
By 1900, half a century later, it became possible to use larger glass panes in shop windows. At the same time, advancements in artificial lighting created new display opportunities. These innovations contributed to the rise of shopping as a pastime.

Window display competitions and fun shopping
Shortly after the turn of the century, window display competitions became common. Most retailers still aimed to showcase as much of their inventory as possible to passing pedestrians. The competitions were intended to encourage them to create more attractive displays and stimulate leisure shopping. Whether they actually succeeded remains uncertain.
During this same period, the professional window dresser emerged—a topic we will explore further in the next article.

Mannequins and props
While architectural changes to stores and window displays were more significant than changes in the displays themselves, luxury retailers after World War II began focusing more on stylish product presentations, often using mannequins and decorative props. Nevertheless, most window displays still aimed to showcase the store's entire inventory.

Stopping power and the right image
That changed permanently in the 1970s. The practice of displaying an entire product range became obsolete, except for a few stubborn retailers liquidating their stock—some of whom achieved cult status in the process.
In the 1960s, closed shopfronts were still the norm, but a decade later, influenced by a younger audience, stores themselves became part of the display. To maximize floor space, storefronts opened up completely, extending the shop floor right to the street. In some cases, clothing racks and other displays even extended onto the sidewalk.
Stores catering to a more traditional customer base continued using shop windows, investing significant effort in them. Their displays not only needed stopping power but also had to project the right brand image.

And Today? The shop window has never disappeared—in fact, it has become more powerful than ever as a tool to strengthen brand identity. Thankfully so! It proves that brick-and-mortar stores have a future, even in an era dominated by digital images.




About the author:
Inge Specht worked for over 25 years as a curator and museum coordinator at the former Dutch Leather and Shoe Museum, now known as Schoenenkwartier. In mid-2023, she founded the appraisal and consultancy firm Waardevol d’Ing, specializing in historical shoes, bags, and leather goods. She also appraises corporate collections, writes, advises on passive conservation, and restores and sells vintage products.


Source: Clé Lesger, Het winkellandschap van Amsterdam: Stedelijke structuur en winkelbedrijf in de vroegmoderne en moderne tijd 1550-2000, Uitgeverij Verloren, Hilversum, 2013.