On this project I worked with the brands Creative Director to develop a range of visual concepts before landing on the idea that best represented the brands ethos, attitude and collection for their Spring/Summer 2013 collection launch at Bread&Butter Trade Show in Berlin.
The collection had familiar logos reworked, hand drawn graphics, plenty of colour all wrapped up with the philosophy of RISE, SHINE, CONSUME. Beck & Hersey believe ‘graphics and collections are constantly influenced by what happens around us’. So for the stand we recreated a familiar everyday space of a kitchen, making sure to include plenty of their playful tongue in cheek attitude of course.
Reaction to Beck&Hersey's first year at the show was very positive with the stand design leading to increased media coverage. With fashion website EDITD including the brand in their pick of 5 stand-out labels for Bread & Butter SS13 calling the stand itself "hands down the best we saw".
The end product was a playful space which encouraged interaction between the individual and the brand.
The cupboards, drawers, seats and shelves were all designed to be used, surprising peoples sense of what's possible with such an everyday material as cardboard.
Rather than having the stand as simply a backdrop to the collection the 2 were fully integrated giving weight to the brand identity. Graphics from the garments were brought to life in 3D, rollout cabinets containing hanging jackets alongside aprons and drawers full of jumpers sitting next to a pan of beans heating up on the hob. It was really fun seeing the smiles as people explored the space, discovering garments alongside the many small details and props hidden as rewards for those who really explored.
The work was made at my studio in the UK taking into consideration the transportation by designing the pieces to flatpack into the minimal space possible while also allowing quick assembly in just a handful of days once in Berlin.
"Beck and Hersey’s cardboard kitchen stand constructed by an up and coming artist stole the show with no detail left without thought ... down to the cheese on toast on the grill and the Fairy liquid bottle at the sink." - EDITD
The design incorporated many practical solutions, integrating hanging space and shelving into the set. Providing practical solutions to essential needs, such as hidden storage for staff bags, creating tv cladding for the screen showing the show reel or creating a post box for look book distribution ensuring that such provisions did not appear an after thought but part of the overall design.
Separating the corner stand into 2 sections by means of a curved wall served a few purposes beyond simple aesthetics. The design created a large amount of internal shelving and allowed for a huge logo to be displayed externally at an angle which caught the eye from a distance when travelling down the walkway from the main entrance to the site. (Although I couldn't then convince them to not then block it with 6, thats right 6, mannequins, one can only try!)
The smaller section which featured a windowbox and internal seat allowed those approaching from the other direction a framed view into the space when walking past, giving them a glimpse and encouraging them to enter and explore further. The inclusion of the window seat, stools and deckchair encouraged people to pause and relax in the space. Given the size shear size of the venue the opportunity to take the load of in the summer heat was one a lot of people grabbed hold of!
