Danielle Casey is the creative force behind this season’s heritage-drenched Ballantynes Christmas window displays. Cityscape talks to her about her gig with a little shop in London called Harrods, and how she got to do what she does.

How did you get to be designing Christmas windows for Ballantynes? I arrived back in New Zealand this time last year after seven years in the UK. While I was there I worked with some amazing production and design agencies where I produced campaigns for the likes of Nike, Bacardi and Harrods. Naturally I was excited to come home but also a little apprehensive about how my experience would stack up in the New Zealand job market. I knew of Ballantynes so applied for the advertised visual merchandiser role and after two interviews was hired as their visual merchandising manager.

What has been your biggest gig so far (apart from Ballantynes of course)? The 2014 Harrods Christmas windows in London. It was incredible to collaborate with the Harrods display team and project-manage their Christmas windows from initial concept through to production and installation.

You are originally from Wellington – when did you realise just how much Ballantynes means to the people of Christchurch? Day one! I met lots of people during the production of the Christmas windows who were always happy to share their Ballantynes connection whether it was going to the Tea Rooms as a kid with their nan or shopping for their school uniforms back in the day. Cantabrians are proud of the Ballantynes’ heritage and it was important to capture this in the Christmas windows.

Is there a moment you can remember when you thought ‘This is what I want to do for a career’? There’s not really a specific moment but rather a combination of experiences evolving from my time at university studying Performance Design, stints in the art department on a couple of Peter Jackson's films and my time in the UK. It’s not always easy and every project has its own challenges, but I throw my whole self into every project, and seeing it transform from paper to reality makes it totally worth it.

If you weren’t doing this, what would you be doing? Either travelling the world or starting my own creative agency specialising in the creation and production of special and creative events.

How long before you draw breath and start on next year’s windows? Well, not long – I’ve already started dreaming up ideas, they just aren’t on paper yet.

Ballantynes Department Store
City Mall, Cashel Street
03 379 7400
ballantynes.co.nz