inspiration

Elderflower liqueur brand St-Germain partnered with creative director Lily Kwong for the Los Angeles debut of Maison St-Germain, which took place August 2 at the Houdini Estate. The event had a magical realism and botanical fantasy theme, with decor elements that included a white silhouette of a house with hanging florals.

Keeping with the botanical fantasy theme, servers with painted florals on their arms and hands served St-Germain cocktails from behind bushes. 

This year’s Lollapalooza took place August 3 to 6 at Grant Park in Chicago. In keeping with the festival's whimsical, throwback vibe, a first-of-its-kind roller rink invited guests to take a spin for free. The set-up also had an arcade featuring nostalgic (and free) games like Donkey Kong. 

Toyota offered two tents on the festival grounds, including the “Toyota Music Den,” which had a doughnut etching station that took place in the trunk of a model car. Guests could take home the treats, which were emblazoned with messages—such as "Donut Give Up—Corolla"—written in powdered sugar. 

Cupcake Wines had an activation that let guests pose inside a prop wine bottle that was surrounded with bubbles. 

Flip-flop brand Havaianas took over the NYC Ferry’s route to the city beaches from August 3 to 7. The event, which was designed and produced by the New Stand, served refreshments from a branded tiki-style bar fronted with the company's global campaign logo. 

The on-board pop-up shop featured an assortment of beach products inspired by Brazil, including apparel, accessories, personal care items, gadgets, and snacks. 

The 24th annual Watermill Center Benefit took place July 29 in the Hamptons. The event featured a 90- by 20-foot black-and-white wall called “Untitled,” which took aim at President Donald Trump’s promise to build a Mexico border wall. Emblazoned with the words "She Outwits Him; She Outlives Him," it was the night's most politically toned piece. The text was meant to confront issues that are the forefront of contemporary domestic politics and culture. 

On the other side of wall, guests were invited to spray paint messages of political resistance. The graffiti wall by Jokubas Nosovas/Nikitas Broukakis & Sam Khoshbin entitled "Too M@ch Talk," was a colorful counterpoint to the black and white of the opposite side. 

One the most whimsical installations was Stephen Shanabrook's "Beaten to a Pulp on a Bed of Miss." The installation involved cotton candy spinning on a loom and being blown into the crowd.