Days before debuting the latest round of collections in its Shops at Target program, Target hosted hundreds of shoppers at a pop-up store for Fashion's Night Out in New York on Thursday. No stranger to promotions during the pre-Fashion Week shopping initiative, the Minneapolis retailer sought to build buzz and anticipation for the exclusive line of products—from San Francisco's the Curiosity Shoppe, Boston's Patch NYC, and Odin and Kirna Zabete from New York—by building out meatpacking district venue Highline Stages as an experiential activation.
"It's not in our D.N.A. to simply rent out space and sell goods. It is in our D.N.A. to find incredible spaces here, primarily in New York, and completely create an experience that takes attendees to a different time, a different place, and give them something memorable when they walk out," said Joshua Thomas, a spokesman for Target. "It's really important for us to have a presence during Fashion Week. Obviously, New York is where the lion's share of the country's media are located and, of course, our movers and shakers, our V.I.P.s and influencers are located here in the city. But we like to use Fashion Week as an opportunity to promote how Target makes great design—which is what Fashion Week is all about—affordable and accessible to everyone every day of the year."
The goal for the temporary store was to carve out spaces for the four partners while maintaining a cohesive look. So the producers at ExtraExtra looked to the ad campaign, which features the shops in an artistic rendering of a street. Inside the pop-up, frames of windows, facades, and doors enclosed the sections for each shop, while different signage, props, lighting, and colors formed the distinct design for each boutique. A central courtyard continued the street scene, with park benches, tree-shaped structures, and a canopy of leaves overhead.
To avoid the kind of chaotic crowds that Fashion's Night Out tends to draw, the Minneapolis retailer opted to limit the number of items each visitor to the pop-up could buy. "Our pop-up stores tend to draw a lot of interest and, most notably, the Missoni for Target is a pop-up store in New York that won't soon be forgotten. And while we of course relish those memories and those experiences, we really want to provide everyone with the best experience and the best possible chance to shop the collections," Thomas said. "We decided early on when we were planning this event that we wanted to limit quantities … it makes for a smoother event."
