by CHRIS BARRY

Name: Steeve LaPierre

Age: 41

Occupation: VP of marketing at Ogilvy’s

Bio: This dapper Outremont dawg first got into the window display business shortly after graduating with a degree in fashion design from that ever-prestigious academy of higher learning known as Lasalle College. After a stint in the early ’80s creating displays for the old Ralph Lauren boutique on Sherbrooke, Steeve got wind that Ogilvy’s was pursuing an exciting new marketing strategy and jumped at the opportunity to work at the 145-year-old retail institution. Today, after 20 years of devoted service, he’s worked his way up the corporate ladder to become VP of marketing, and is the elf responsible for the glory that is Ogilvy’s annual Christmas window.

Is it safe to assume that the unveiling of the Christmas window is a big event over at Ogilvy’s? “Oh yeah, it’s huge! I mean, it’s a major event for Montreal! It tells Montrealers Christmas is coming. We have generations of families coming here to look at it together. People who first saw the window as children, now they come back with their grandchildren to enjoy it.”

Do they create a spankin’ new window every year? No. “Everything was custom made by Steiff in Germany over 50 years ago and we pretty well just give it a new face lift each Christmas—although we always keep it fairly similar to honour tradition. If we had to get a new one made it would blow my budget for the entire year. It’s very expensive.”

Is it a challenge, in an age where people are bombarded with advertising images everywhere they turn, to capture the public’s attention with something as simple as a store window? “The window is so very important. It speaks to people, it says, ‘This is what we are, this is what we sell, this is the lifestyle we propose. Do you recognize yourself?’ It says Ogilvy’s is a quiet environment, a place where every salesperson has time for you, a place where you’ll get pampered and enjoy amazing service.”

Is it tempting to discreetly bury something ambiguously racy inside the display, like a mechanical monkey porking a pig or something along those lines? “Of course not, never.”

Then what’s up with the masturbating frogs? “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Do many people return every day to be endlessly captivated by the window? “Most certainly!”

Is it possible some of these people might be mentally deficient? “Listen, the joy of Christmas is the tradition. You get together with family, you exchange gifts, you bake gingerbread cookies, you come see the mechanical window at Ogilvy’s, it’s all part of the Christmas magic. It’s not a matter of being mentally deficient or some ‘get a life’ type thing. Rather, it’s just the opposite. Instead, get some magic into your life. It’s about being happy, and happiness comes from all those little things you cherish year after year. The mechanical window is part of that.”

Musical preferences: Dalida.

Last book read: Jonathan Strange and Mister Norrell, by Susanna Clarke.

Words of wisdom: “Des gouts et des couleurs on ne discute pas.”

Comments? dimwit@hdot.net