HOBBYCRAFT - A FRESH START

The story begins in March 2011, when Dana Armstrong, retail consultant to Hobbycraft, invited Elemental to work with her and Twenty Twenty, on their new store concept. Twenty Twenty created a new logo and store concept and Elemental were asked to look at the VM and display design and production. Our design team were very excited to have this opportunity, as big fans of the stores and their products.

The original brief was to give input into how Hobbycraft approach their visual merchandising and instore displays, as well as window displays. We designed several concepts for a multitude of areas around the store, including windows, departmental headers, fixture ends and hot spots. After much research of other stores, the team set to work and came up with lots of exciting ideas.

Hobbycraft’s Marketing Director, Lisa Looker and Dana were very much involved throughout the process. The design team had the opportunity to meet them and talk ideas through, to get a grasp of what the client really liked and wanted for their stores.

After weeks of hard work and hours spent artworking huge walls and headers, the results were unveiled last Thursday, at the opening of the new Hobbycraft store in Orpington, Kent. Our workshop produced display props, plinths and giant pink buttons (an icon for the new concept). Our team then installed the displays and helped lay out the product ranges. The store is fresh and exciting, an inviting place for customers to browse for their arts and crafts needs, as well as beginners to peruse the shelves for potential new projects and activities.

MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA (UNTITLED): 1ST ANNIVERSARY

To mark the first anniversary of the launch of the acclaimed Maison Martin Margiela’s first fragrance “Untitled” for L’Oreal at Selfridges, L’Oreal asked Elemental Design to create another unique and striking in-store display at Selfridges. Inspired by the fragrance bottle, Elemental designed and produced an oversized bottle unit, which displayed the actual fragrance. Also decorating the space were the iconic 

on-brand props, such as vintage luggage, a ladder and an easel, all painted white, the distinctive colour of the fashion house. Giant silver “1” birthday balloons were added, as the finishing touch.

CHOPARD SPONSORS CANNES FILM FESTIVAL, AT HARRODS

As the official sponsor of Le Festival de Cannes this month, Chopard invited Elemental Design to design and install a series of windows and showcases, promoting the brand at Harrods.

A combination of vinyl and lights transformed the windows into large light boxes, highlighting the glamour and sophistication of the festival, not to mention the beautiful breath-taking product photography.

PRADA BAROQUE AT SELFRIDGES

Last week saw Elemental Design work with Luxottica, in an exclusive pre-launch of the Prada Baroque sunglasses collection at Selfridges. 

The window was to follow the look of the campaign, and to bring to life Prada's beautifully unique Baroque frames. Inspired by Italian culture, tradition and style, and using Prada's signature palette and intense colour combinations, a show stopping window was installed, showcasing the spectacular spectacles. 

The Royal Wedding 2011

With the Royal Wedding in the air, many retailers joined in with the excitement. As a warranted retailer to the Royal family, Penhaligons briefed us to design and produce window displays for all their UK stores, along with their stores in Paris, Milan and New York, as a gentle nod towards the Royal Celebration. To emulate the atmosphere and mood of the country at this jubilant time, Elemental Design created a kit of parts that included draping bunting, paper chains and Union Jack flags across the windows of the perfumery, to depict the traditional cheer of a British street party. The muted colour palette gave the display a lovely vintage flavour.

Mulberry Presentation for Autumn/Winter 2011

London Fashion Week has come and gone once again, and this season Elemental Design were commissioned by Mulberry to source, produce and install an English country garden in the ballroom at Claridges, complete with hillocks, trees, oversized mushrooms and moss-a-plenty. Elemental took creative direction from Mulberry's Visual Merchandising department, which allowed the brief to come to life. 

Large scale walls were installed, and a team of handy green fingered assistants applied real foliage and flowers, creating rich and vibrant vertical gardens for press photographs and for the catwalk show. 

A shed was constructed, with the Mulberry logo applied in various media, including scorched wood and rusty nails. Glue guns at the ready, the Mulberry team added hundreds of colourful birds to the trees with excitement, creating a magical woodland.

After a long day of pinning, flower arranging and hanging off tall ladders, Colin and Alan (the furry foxes) were placed lovingly by the Mulberry team amongst the fun, oversized mushrooms and on the roof of the shed. The final touches were then added, and the catwalk was painted for the final time before the big show. 

Celebrating 20 Years of Elemental Design

In February 2011, Elemental Design celebrated its 20th anniversary, by throwing a party in London. Clients from present and past attended, as well as many people who have supported Elemental through the years, and watched it grow to the high standard and reputation which it maintains today.
The evening also saw a performance from the lovely Misty Miller, who performed several beautiful tracks from her debut self-titled album.