When faced with a forecast of thunderstorms and dreary weather, a host can be forgiven for moving an event indoors to keep guests dry. But last Thursday, when rain clouds and humidity sent most people scurrying inside, Burberry forged ahead with an outdoor event atop the New York Palace Hotel to celebrate the opening of its new American headquarters and the illumination of three 50-foot-long signs,
Overseeing the affair was Elena Sapienza, the British brand's director of special events, who worked closely with design and production company Van Wyck & Van Wyck. Some 300 guests, including Orlando Bloom, Hugh Dancy, Lily Donaldson, and Blake Lively, braved the gusts and drizzle—a climate not unusual for London in the spring—on the penthouse terrace to witness the light show on the exterior of the Burberry building across the street.
Some last-minute adjustments protected most of the custom elements from damage. A black carpet was installed on the Madison Avenue sidewalk to prevent the white arrivals carpet from being muddied. Elsewhere, plastic sheets and drop cloths covered other elements until the doors opened for guests, and during the performance approximately 30 staffers held umbrellas overhead.
Unscathed by the rain, enormous light boxes lined the entrance to the event in the courtyard of the hotel. Ten feet high and six feet wide, each box displayed photographs of the letters in the brand name, which illustrated the manufacturing and installation process of the new Madison Avenue sign. Inside the two penthouses, a collage on the interior walls and plasma screens played time-lapse videos showcasing the construction of the oversize logo. To add English accents to the event, British TV presenter Alexa Chung served as the DJ, indie rock band One Night Only from Yorkshire performed, and the hotel dished up shepherd's pie, bangers and mash, and Pimm's.
Despite the gloomy weather, the spectacle went as planned. The band played and led the countdown, Vari-lite and Syncrolite systems set up on three different buildings produced a light show, and when the switch was flipped, 30 double-barreled cannons blasted confetti.
