Space NK recently went out of their way to disprove the theory that you can’t have your cake and eat it too at their Rare Beauty pop-up cafe.
Along with offering Space NK bestsellers, the collaboration with Selena Gomez’s beauty brand Rare Beauty operated as a place to stop in for tea and cake (both of which were presented beautifully!) as well as playing host to make-up masterclasses.
In true Rare Beauty style, the space was filled with inclusive, feel-good messages that encourage people to break down unrealistic standards of perfection and wear make up to make yourself feel good without feeling the need to hide what makes you unique.
Ok, ok, so it’s still a commercial activation, but the beauty industry needed to change, and new to market brands like Rare Beauty are finally trying to reposition how and why we use make up, and we’re here for it!
So technically not activated in Spring, but definitely bringing those bright Spring colour vibes, we’re looking back to January 2020 (ah, a simpler time) and going dotty over Camille Walala’s glorious partnership with LEGO to create the ‘House of Dots’.
A playful, and immersive, piece of art, House of Dots consisted of five rooms (created with eight shipping containers!) including a living room, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and finally a disco room designed to celebrate self-expression. The whole space was decorated with a wonderful mash up of Lego Dots and Walala’s unique style.
As people walked through the space they were invited to get involved by creating their own patterns and bracelets and, finally, exit via an 8ft slide (look mum, no hands!).
We think this is a brilliant example of a brand and artist working collaboratively to create something that goes beyond experiential advertising and falls firmly into the realms of immersive art and we hope to see plenty more partnerships like this in the future.
Rather than focusing on one experience, we paid homage to the wonderful world of window dressing as a collective.
There are those brands that utilise their window space in formulaic, expected ways; they showcase a range of their products in an aesthetically pleasing way, paired with signage. Then, there are those brands who are so famed for their window dressing that people make special trips to stores to view them in the flesh…we’re guessing you know which of these approaches EDNAEDNA prefers!
Your window is your first opportunity to wow a passerby. With so many other stores in their eye-line, it’s vital that you turn their heads, capture their attention and entice them in store!
A few brands that we think have absolutely nailed the world of window dressing are Fortnum & Mason handing their window space over to theatre set designs (image 1), any window that Bergdorf Goodman ever does ever (image 2) and the incredible Okamoto Studio’s ice sculpture window for Barneys in New York.
This week we're shining a light on Cyril Lancelin’s x Snapchat’s installation at Dubai Expo 2020. Connections is an immersive art piece made in collaboration with Snapchat star Ahmad Ali.
Inspired by Arabic geometry and patterns, the cube is formed from a variety of shapes and creates a unique space for exploration and contemplation.
Once inside the space you are able to access a special AR experience designed by Ali which has been inspired by his Emirati heritage. We think this is a wonderful coming together of art, brand and technology to create a really special moment, embodying the theme of the expo - connecting minds, creating the future.
That’s it for this month! Give us a follow on Instagram to see EDNA’s Pick in real-time each week, and let us know what is inspiring you!
That’s it for this month! Give us a follow on Instagram to see EDNA’s Pick in real-time each week, and let us know what is inspiring you!
