A first-of-its-kind, fashion popup for H&M in Williamsburg

H&M, the biggest name in global fashion. In a market where trends go in and out of style at breakneck speed - how does a brand, who has collaborated with the likes of Karl Lagerfeld and icons such as Naomi Campbell, continue to stay at the height of fashion when it comes to retail? Answer. They do something you’ve never seen before. Here's how we designed an experiential marketing activation, unlike anything they have done before.

Only the most unique brand experience designs are worthy of Gen-Z's elusive attention span. With this in mind, we worked with H&M to define a progressive new retail format strategy, for one of its Key Cities - NYC. The ambition was to bridge the divide between global brand and local culture, helping H&M connect authentically with new audiences.

The first store format to surface from this exciting collaboration, is a new innovation-centric retail model – purpose-built to challenge perceptions and experiment with ‘first-of-its-kind’ experiences, before anywhere else in the world. Our retail popup store design strategy was to invite people into the progressive mindset of H&M. A "who knew?" kind of place. One that evolves at the speed of culture over the course of a 12-month residency. Somewhere for both the brand and the consumer to try something new.

To realise this ambitious new retail concept, we devised an innovative design approach - infrastructure over architecture. Utilising a flexible plug and play retail system, the retail interior design framework enables H&M to easily bring new brand experience designs to life, at speed. Anything from seasonal fashion stories to experiential marketing activation designs, like fitness classes for H&M MOVE or an elevated showcase for their Mugler collaboration. Everything about this retail popup store design was devised to be deconstructed, reconfigured and creatively re-activated – from the façade to the floorplan to the product curation - so that no two brand experiences would ever be the same. Bringing consumers something new in retail, and showing H&M as always fashion forward.

To launch this new retail store format, we brought to life a party-ready, winter wonderland experiential marketing activation, showcasing H&M’s Holiday Campaign and Partywear Collection. Bright, sparkly and buzzing with festive excitement it features a metallic façade takeover and interactive snowflake projections paired with Instagrammable disco-inspired installations throughout.

Taking inspiration form a traditional Brasserie – the retail interior design is broken into distinctive spaces housing different colourways and product categories. The Gift Bar, Dining Room, ‘Content’ Kitchen, Private Dining and the all-important Powder Room – all of which ‘wear’ the collection in a fun and inspiring way. The whole brand experience design and experiential marketing activation is underpinned with new cutting-edge technology which H&M is trialling for the first time in the US.

For our second experiential marketing activation in this rotating retail popup store design, we brought to life H&M's new athleisure brand MOVE with a space of its very own - the MOVE STUDIO. Gone is the frozen holiday brasserie, and in comes an energetic yellow fitness activation space to help kick start your #newyearnewme transformation.

Designed as a kinetic and tactile interior playground, it inspires every body to move in unexpected and playful ways. In an effort to democratise movement, an in-house fitness studio offers a series of free daily health and fitness classes, run by Brooklyn-based community partners. Chromotherapy lighting in the experiential fitness space enables local Yoga, Pilates and Dance instructors to take their workout classes to new sensory heights - elevating both mind and body. It's fun, functional and ultimately - fashionable.

Designed to never stand still, over the course of the next 12-Months this innovative retail format will feature numerous experiential marketing activation designs and local partnerships, from DJs to artists to patisseries. With an ever changing events programme and dynamic retail interior design takeovers planned, this is the one fashion retail popup store where you really will want to 'watch this space'. Until next time...

If you're curious about what else our award winning retail design studio has to offer, let's talk. You can also head over to our London agency's work page to explore our other retail marketing activations and brand experience case studies. And, don't forget to take a peek at our Wonder blog for the freshest design insights and heaps of creative inspiration.

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