Once up the Armory's initial flight of steps, V.I.P.s and celebrities entered into a photo pit area where New York City-based street artist Jordan Seiler had created an original tape art step-and-repeat. After an extensive venue search throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn, KCD principal and president Julie Mannion and her team went with the Armory because of its size, height, and range options. "It's a big open palette," said Mannion.
Photo: Billy Farrell/BFAnyc.com
Creative consultant Maria Weinhoff, who collaborated with Donatella Versace and KCD on set design, commissioned 26,340 feet of Versus logo tape to wrap the stages, sound equipment, bars, and cocktail furniture. "We used a lo-fi methodology that was more utilitarian than fancy," said Mannion. "There wasn't anything precious; the idea was about this raw vibe."
Photo: Billy Farrell/BFAnyc.com
Throughout the general seating area as well as the V.I.P. stage, which was raised eight inches off the ground, the 74 tables and benches were covered with custom hand-stenciled cushions, a decorative throwback to the Versus aesthetic. Guests were also given gold lion's head safety pins and rubber bracelets as a souvenir from the night.
Photo: Billy Farrell/BFAnyc.com
Complementing the three mini fashion shows and concerts, a pedicab sporting a rotating carousel of rainbow-colored Venus Versace bags made its way throughout the cavernous venue, offering guests the chance to hop on the back for a ride.
Photo: Billy Farrell/BFAnyc.com
In keeping with Donatella Versace's request for decor that felt a bit undone and raw, KCD and Weinhoff chose staging furniture and props that were intentionally old-fashioned, including vintage monitors. "The idea was to create an old-school, unplugged feeling," said Mannion.
Photo: Billy Farrell/BFAnyc.com
The 44- by 40-foot visible backstage, made entirely of smoked Plexiglas panels, served as the core element of the event and was what the entire unveil was designed around, according to Mannion. The transparency allowed the collections to be revealed "in moment" to guests as they came to life. "It's the concept of a two-way mirror that became reflective when unlit yet allowed us to film through it when lit," said Mannion. "We couldn't physically use a two-way mirror, so this was the best way to affect that."
Photo: Jim Shi
Rapper Angel Haze joined Dead Sara and Grimes in performing three songs each throughout the event, each one of their concerts timed to the debut of one-third of the Versus Versace collection. Stages, with DJ booths wrapped in Versus tape, were erected on opposite sides of the venue to eliminate any static and to keep the energy live and free-flowing.
Photo: Billy Farrell/BFAnyc.com
In between each performance, 17 models came out from behind the visible backstage in a choreographed walk that had them parade along both the left and right stages. There, they posed for guests before returning for their next look.
Photo: Billy Farrell/BFAnyc.com
Against large projection screens measuring 33 by 19 feet and 29 by 16 feet that flanked the visible backstage played pretaped Versus inspiration videos as guests initially arrived. During the performances, the screens stimulated guests with a video loop of psychedelic black-and-white imagery in motion.
Photo: Billy Farrell/BFAnyc.com
More than two dozen shows will be held at Skylight Clarkson Square, a raw space that has been used for shows during Fashion Week by labels like John Elliott.
Photo: Matthew Craig
Dr. Scholls and Anthropologie Product Launch Breakfast
Dr. Scholl's and Anthropologie celebrated their new partnership with a product launch breakfast on April 26 at Maman in New York. Designed to complement the venue's French countryside atmosphere, Tinsel & Twine created a variety of floral installations with loose tulip stems in spring-theme pink, yellow, and orange. Shoes were in the venue's existing structures, including a wooden shelf, which were whimsically styled with tulips.
Photo: Quyn Duong
Reebook FW17 Press Preview
Reebok previewed its fall/winter 2017 collection for media on May 10 at 201 Mulberry in New York. The event, which was produced by M&C Saatchi and fabricated by Mixed Greens Event Design, featured a variety of product displays inspired by the brand's different types of athletic wear. The training display showcased shoes and clothes in a gym-inspired atmosphere, with design elements including a giant tire and a branded punching bag and boxing gloves.
Photo: Ian Zelaya/BizBash
Teva x Jhené Aiko Launch
Singer Jhené Aiko celebrated the launch of her new Teva collection with a private event on May 1 at NeueHouse in Los Angeles. The new line, which combines the brand's signature sandal silhouettes with Aiko's eclectic style, were showcased in a desert-theme display. The event was produced by Crystal Raymond.
Photo: Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Deckers Brands/Teva
Nike "Sneakeasy" Chicago Pop-Up
In March, Nike hosted "Sneakeasy" pop-ups in Los Angeles, Toronto, New York, and Chicago to celebrate Air Max Day and the brand's past and present designs. At the Chicago pop-up, decor included transparent shoe boxes and a wall projection of the bottom of a Nike shoe.
Photo: Courtesy of Nike
Havaianas Palm Tree Lot
Brazilian flip-flop brand Havaianas celebrated summer in May 2016 by staging a palm tree lot in New York. Produced by Bait Shoppe, the activation gave passersby free palm trees and featured branded pots and a red wall of hanging flip-flops.
Photo: Courtesy of Havaianas
'Moana' Premiere
For the Moana premiere in November 2016, a Havaianas activation featured a branded ocean wave sculpted out of the brand's flip-flops.
Photo: Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney
Recording Academy Grammy Celebration
At the Recording Academy's official Grammy after-party in 2016, Angel City Designs installed an oversize high-heel shoe prop on the main stage at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Photo: Sean Twomey/2me Studios
Salvatore Ferragamo's Centennial Celebration
Luxury Italian fashion house Salvatore Ferragamo celebrated its centennial with an event at New York's Industria Superstudio in 2015. The event, which was produced by Bureau Betak, featured a DJ booth inspired by the Ferragamo rainbow wedge sandal.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn/BFA.com
Nordstrom's Shoes of Prey Launch Party
In 2014, costume designer Janie Bryant hosted a launch party for Shoes of Prey, a company that invites consumers to buy their own shoes. The event, which took place at Nordstrom in Bellvue, Washington, featured flower-inspired sculptures created with shoes and a rainbow high heel backdrop.
Photo: Team Photogenic
The 29Rooms production team comprises more than 200 people. The experience took a full month to build. The number of total social media posts associated with 29Rooms has currently surpassed 729 million potential impressions, double from last year.
Photo: Nicole Maroon
Refinery29 partnered with Snap Inc. to launch a Spectacles rental program at the exhibition. A limited number of attendees per session were offered a pair of Spectacles to capture the experience. “Snaps” that are captured with Spectacles transfer wirelessly to a user’s Memories in Snapchat and are saved in a circular video format. The videos can then be uploaded to a Snapchat story.
Photo: Taylor McIntyre/BizBash
In the “Art Heals” space, which was created with nonprofit organization Art of Elysium, guests were able to decorate the large paper lanterns.
Photo: Taylor McIntyre/BizBash
Alexa Meade’s “Become the Masterpiece” allowed guests to turn themselves into art with painted props like coats, sunglasses, and umbrellas.
Photo: Taylor McIntyre/BizBash
The multi-sensory “Erotica in Bloom” from Maisie Cousins featured 1,500 flowers.
Photo: Taylor McIntyre/BizBash
Inspired by the sexual symbolism of flowers, guests were able to step inside oversize “blooms” to experience custom sounds, as well as scents.
Photo: Taylor McIntyre/BizBash
Katie Kim, manager of brand partnerships and experiences at Cadillac, explained that “The Art of Innovation,” which was created in collaboration with fashion designer Jason Wu, represented the stages of the creative process, from idea to completion, and was designed to be Instagram friendly. “There has to be a money shot. There has to be a way for someone to get a Boomerang. Which is why the lighting is dynamic,” she said.
Photo: Taylor McIntyre/BizBash
The sound and visual installation “Harmony” was a collaboration between British artist and designer Benjamin Shine and sisters and recording artists Chloe x Halle. The rotating artwork explores the intertwining layers that make up the bond of sisterhood.
Photo: Taylor McIntyre/BizBash
In collaboration with Planned Parenthood, the large-scale installation “Bright Future" used bright neon signage to highlight healthcare issues. Guests could also listen to stories from people who’ve been touched by the organization, as well as pledge their support.
Photo: Taylor McIntyre/BizBash
For “Light It Up,” Symmetry Labs used stacked cubes of LED lights to form a musical installation that reacted to a guest’s movements.
Photo: Taylor McIntyre/BizBash
For “Ocean of Creativity,” Korean contemporary artist Jee Young Lee turned trash collected from around New York City into a seascape portrait, which consisted of 9,800 bottles, 4,000 bottle caps, and 1,500 wine corks.
Photo: Taylor McIntyre/BizBash
Aldo worked with Refinery29 to create “Love Walk,” a glowing runway surrounded by a coiled structure covered in nearly 250 shoes and pulsing light. The walls featured messages inspired by the brand's fall campaign.
Photo: Taylor McIntyre/BizBash
Featuring the music of rapper-singer Lizzo, “Move and Be Moved” included 71 disco balls and headphones for a silent dance party.
Photo: Taylor McIntyre/BizBash
Dunkin’ Donuts Coffee at Home created a "kitchen" where guests could taste the brand’s Bakery Series coffee flavors and vote for their favorite.
Photo: Taylor McIntyre/BizBash
Brooklyn-based visual artists Chiaozza designed “Cloud Pool” where guests could jump into a pile of 1,980 purple foam blocks and colorful inflatables.
Photo: Taylor McIntyre/BizBash
Juicy Couture’s Glacé Getaway featured a tropical vacation setting with an icy twist: a life-size snow globe, a snow-covered floor, and an icicle-decorated lifeguard chair.
Photo: Taylor McIntyre/BizBash
Illustrator Jen Mussari designed hand-painted punching bags and gloves for “The Future Is Female” installation. Electronic music artist Madame Gandhi created beats in the space that guests could turn on by punching the bags.
Photo: Taylor McIntyre/BizBash
Inspired by the Women’s March on Washington, the room titled “Hear Our Voice” featured artwork created in collaboration with Refinery29, as well as work by Amplifier.
Photo: Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images for Refinery29
Postcards were available for guests to write a message to their state's U.S. senators, which Refinery29 mailed out after the exhibition.
Photo: Taylor McIntyre/BizBash
Klarna “Smoooth Session”
At the entrance, a mannequin with a 20-foot-long arm held shopping bags from Klarna partners, including Topshop, Mango, and H&M.
Photo: Christian Rodriguez
Klarna “Smoooth Session”
Inside, guests could make their own name badges with quirky stickers.
Photo: Christian Rodriguez
Klarna “Smoooth Session”
At a photo booth, guests could wear a shaggy brown coat and stand in front of a fan, which mimicked a Klarna ad starring an Afghan dog. The booth, from Smilebooth, printed lenticular photos and offered videos for social sharing. Oversize props came from 11th Street Workshop.
Photo: Christian Rodriguez
Klarna “Smoooth Session”
Hands poking out of a curtain served guests glasses of champagne at a “mystery bartender” station. Sequence created a “funky flavor” event design, which also included fur-covered bar fronts and walls wrapped with custom event collateral. The event’s furniture rentals, from Patina Rentals and Taylor Creative, had the brand’s muted color palette.
Photo: Christian Rodriguez
Klarna “Smoooth Session”
Pinch Food Design catered the event. Stations included dessert trays attached to oversize helium balloons. Catering staff guided the balloons through the crowd.
Photo: Christian Rodriguez
Colgate Total SF Experience
To get to the main Colgate experience, guests walked through an illuminated hallway that illustrated the brand’s history.
Photo: Courtesy of Colgate
Colgate Total SF Experience
The event featured a variety of branded areas for photos, including one that invited guests to pose in a neon circle. 11th St. Workshop helmed fabrication for the event.
Photo: Courtesy of Colgate
Colgate Total SF Experience
At branded stations, Colgate scientists held demos that showed different stages of creating the toothpaste.
Photo: Courtesy of Colgate
Colgate Total SF Experience
A living mint wall created by B Floral served as a step-and-repeat.
Photo: Donald Trail/The Associated Press
Colgate Total SF Experience
Guests could learn about how toothpaste kills bacteria by interacting with a motion-activated screen.
Photo: Courtesy of Colgate
Aerie Changing the Course Dinner
Aerie’s intimate dinner took place at Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria. Decor included white floral centerpieces and a portrait of the brand’s newest “Aerie Role Models,” who include Busy Phillips, Jameela Jamil, and Samira Wiley.
Photo: Jamie McCarthy
Aerie Changing the Course Dinner
Each place setting had branded menus and custom necklaces engraved with each guest's name. On the reverse side, "Aerie" was written in Braille, a detail inspired by one of the new brand ambassadors, Molly Burke, a YouTuber and motivational speaker who is blind.
Photo: Jamie McCarthy
Aerie Changing the Course Dinner
Cocktails served were inspired the brand’s ongoing #AerieReal campaign, which promotes body positivity and self-love.
Photo: Jamie McCarthy
