• by Christine Champagne , April 4, 2011

Barneys New York is undergoing a physical and a virtual makeover under the aegis of CEO Mark Lee, who joined the company last fall. While plans to renovate all of the luxury retailer's stores are in the works, Lee has already revamped barneys.com with the launch of The Window. Created in conjunction with digital shop Group SJF, The Window is an editorial site featuring exclusive content related to luxury, culture and beauty.

Dan Brooks, executive creative director of New York's Atelier-LB says he hasn't seen anything quite like The Window in the retail world. "It's great for Barneys because it gives them another window," Brooks says. "The site is done in a conceptual way, and that is what is smart about it: They're known for their windows. The windows are their public face, and now they're showing us what is behind those windows."

Content ranges from an interview with Greg Lauren - Ralph Lauren's designer nephew - to a paean to the platform shoe, which, FYI, will remain in fashion for yet another season.

Readers also have unique access to Barneys' influential fashion director Amanda Brooks, who recently blogged about the cutaway hemline - "I didn't know about the cutaway hemline until I read about it in Amanda's blog," Brooks says, noting, "I learned something new!" Barneys' famed window dresser Simon Doonan, who was named creative ambassador-at-large in January, also contributes to The Window, and if Brooks could add anything to the site, it would be more Doonan. "He is a great writer," Brooks says. "I don't know how much he'll be involved, because he's been replaced [as creative director by Dennis Freedman], but he's very witty, and he's very funny, and he'd be helpful here, I'm sure."