Projects: Barneys Holiday Shopping Experience, NYC (w/video)

December 20, 2013 by Dave Haynes

The Barneys New York flagship store in Manhattan did a fully immersive visitor experience this holiday season.

The store worked with hip hop star JAY Z, visual artist Joanie Lemercier and Barneys’ creative director Dennis Freedman on what was dubbed “A New York Holiday” – a series of unique windows facing Madison Avenue and an interactive in-store gallery that made heavy use of Christie digital display technologies.

Says a news release:

The third floor of the retailers’ Madison Avenue Flagship has been transformed into the BNY SCC Gallery, an immersive 1,200-square-foot space with a seamless 360-degree projection that utilizes projection mapping, exclusive content, lights, and movement, to transport customers into the world of New York. A 70-foot long “hall” with floor projection will guide visitors from the 3rd floor elevator to the Gallery. The BNY SCC Gallery Space will showcase limited edition products designed by Mr. Carter in collaboration with various designers which will be available for purchase.

Floating City

The retailer’s iconic Madison Avenue windows will mesmerize passersby and customers with moving content that demonstrates how light and shadow are experienced in New York City, incorporating the theme colors of black, white and gold. Among the highlights are a “floating city” projected upon a 16-foot-tall “rock” wall, which houses the viewing area for the projection mapped experience, and includes twinkling stars in a night sky and a slow-moving sunrise revealing the shimmering floating city – enhanced by a visual program that incorporates architectural language, changing geographical landscapes and climate (snow, rain) – all through dazzling 3D mapping technology.

Mirrors, Icicles and 3D lights

A large, abstract hanging resembling a rock or icicle formation will be covered in thousands of fragmented mirrors. With Christie projection mapping washing light over the formation to create a light show on the object itself, it will be reflected into the room as well as onto the window and finally the street.

Among the technologies used will be the Christie HD14K-M projector, Christie LW720, Christie LWU420, and Christie HD flat panel displays, including the new Christie WeatherAll flat panel.

A traditional favorite during the holidays will have a modern new twist, with a window housing the “BNY NYC Sleigh Ride” featuring a rotating cast of improvisational performers from Upright Citizens Brigade outfitted in modern Santa costumes who will take children on a virtual “sleigh ride” through an abstracted New York City. Through the use of experiential screens, the occupants will feel like they are up in the air and flying through New York. Christie WeatherAll flat panels on the outside of the window will show images of the children and “Santa” as they take the Sleigh Ride.

“New York is home to some of the most technologically sophisticated customers in the world, and the holidays are an especially competitive time for retailers to capture their attention and bring them into their stores,” noted Sean James, vice president of Christie’s Managed Services. “We are pleased to again be part of Barneys New York’s holiday display campaign, both in New York and other flagship locations across the country. Through visual technology and collaboration, Christie helped bring the creative vision to life.”

Christie tech was also used in  select Barneys regional flagship locations in Beverly Hills, San Francisco, Chicago and Boston.

It’s nice in a money is no object kind of way (and it is indeed a holiday/flagship thing), but I get more excited about projects that are lasting and really factor in how stores work and how people actually shop. The projection area feels more like an attraction than a retail floor.