Gal Bouskila Makes the Most of Retail’s New Landscape

Gal Bouskila has marketing and strategic experience with major brands like Gucci, Yigal Azrouël, and Donna Karan, across regions including the Asia-Pacifc, Europe, and North America. Having studied fashion and visual art, he knows how to translate a product’s message into a striking scene. Bouskila’s goal, from windows to architectural projects, is a full visual immersion that offers the public a sensorially rich dive into the world of luxury.

Whitewall spoke with Bouskila about the power in the presence of product, even amid today’s socially distant climate.

WHITEWALL: How did you start visual merchandising in New York? What was your path like from Yigal Azrouël to Donna Karan and Gucci?

GAL BOUSKILA: As a young kid walking the streets of Tel Aviv, I was always fascinated by the window displays of the major retailers. Those displays were so intriguing to me, it was like a glimpse into the world of those brands. The storytelling and the process always fascinated me, and it inspired me to study fashion and visual art in New York.

I started my career in 2006, as a visual merchandiser for Yigal Azrouël through his wholesale and retail stores. I was very fortunate to have this opportunity, as it embedded the foundation of my creative process. From there I went to Donna Karan as an external visual merchandising manager, which gave me a better perspective of large-scale corporate environments. My next step was Gucci in 2015, as the visual director in the Sydney, Australia, head office, responsible for SEA-Pacific region. This was an incredible opportunity and a dive into the world of luxury.

WW: What is your creative process and philosophy? How do you get inspired by art/artists to stage windows?

GB: My creative process starts by defining references that complete the collections from a visual point of view. My philosophy is to translate the concept design of the collection to visual communication, meticulously, in order to transfer the message from the garment to a visual prop. I want to make the audience feel related to the collection through visual communication to whether it’s props, or any other visual elements. I refect the essence of the collection from their color palettes, and the references are designed to intrigue and captivate the audience.

I am very much inspired by the Japanese minimalism and aesthetic, such as Tadao Ando and Kenzo. When I worked on the sketches for windows, I pulled in elements of architecture, fashion, and interior design and put it all together into one engaging message.