“It doesn't feel like virtual is a pivot—it just feels like it's another new exciting lane to be in,” said Tiffany Green, director of production at New York-based event management company Industria Creative.
Green was speaking to a recent event she and her team produced for YSL Beauté. Intended to introduce rocker Lenny Kravitz as the new face of the brand’s Y fragrance, the virtual launch took place Sept. 17 in the midst of New York Fashion Week—and pulled out all the stops to create a gathering that didn’t skimp on luxury. In addition to a live conversation with Kravitz, the L'Oréal-owned brand hosted a series of virtual rooms that included a DJ set with Va$htie, a performance from rapper Aminé, a masterclass with famed bartender Jeremy Le Blanche, a virtual photo booth, and a lively chat function.
The event drew 315 attendees, which YSL Beauté at L'Oréal director of social media Alexandria Ivanoff notes is likely less than it would have for an in-person event. And that exclusivity was by design. “We decided that quality over quantity is best,” said Ivanoff, who wanted to ensure it “wasn’t just another virtual event on someone’s calendar. ... The idea was to create this intimate, interactive experience, to really feel like you're at an in-real-life YSL event. You feel that elevation, you feel that luxury, but at the same time you might be sitting on your couch.”
BizBash chatted with the teams at YSL and Industria Creative to learn more about how they accomplished the event’s “intimate interactivity,” as they called it. Scroll down for a detailed look inside the rock-and-roll-inspired gathering.