Coach's Spring 2016 Fashion Show at New York Fashion Week
With the 75th Anniversary of the brand rightaround the corner, Coach wanted to showcase their first runway collection forNew York SS16 Fashion week in an impactful and memorable way.
Empire was engaged by Coach and KCD Worldwide, the leadingfashion public relations and production agency, to lend expertise inpermitting, labor & union relations, and site-specific logistical planningand management. Empire and KCD worked in close collaboration with Coach overseveral months to select and secure the site, design a plan and make theproduction a reality.
The decision was made to bring the show home – to the futuresite of the new Coach headquarters currently being built at 30th Street and 11th Avenue in the new Hudson Yards development. A large, openconcrete rooftop, located adjacent to the High Line and just a short walk fromthe new Coach tower, proved to be the ideal location to build an event spacethat would impress audiences and blend seamlessly into the natural beauty ofthe High Line.
Construction, tenting, scenic and technical teams workednon-stop for almost a month to construct a beautiful two-story glass box tent. The Friends of the Highline andthe NYC Parks Department granted Coach permission to use the High Line as aguest entryway and a one-of-a kind, one-day only bridge was built to facilitatedirect access to the tent from the High Line.
Empire also worked to develop a unique guest entry plan. A nearbylot was transformed into a Coach-branded drop off point where high-profileattendees were chauffeuredto the show in special Coach taxis. Guests strolled along the High Line andtook in the view of the enormous glass tent in the Fall afternoon sun. After making their way inside, guests weregreeted with scenic elements designed by Stefan Beckman to bring the windswept Americanprairie feel of the High Line indoors. Guests walked over the mirrored runway and took their seats on amulti-level wooden polygon bleacher built into the center of the tent,surrounding by planters and greenery that perfectly matched the look and feelof the High Line.
Over 500 guests attended the nine minute long show includingAnna Wintour, Chloe Grace Moretz, Mariel Hemingway, and numerous fashion buyers,members of the media and tastemakers and celebrities from around the world. The collection, largely centered onmulti-colored floral patchwork dresses inspired by designer Stuart Veversvision of a wardrobe for “a magpie girl who goes onroad trips, picking up Western things, but who also might steal from hergranny’s closet on the Upper East Side". Nearly 40 models showcased almost 50 different looks styledby Karl Templer to a soundtrack DJ’d live by Steve Mackey.
Voguecalled the Coach show one of the New York Fashion Week’s best shows.
The completeshow can be viewed at: http://www.coach.com/shop/womens-spring-2016
Guests received their first taste of technological innovation at registration, where they were welcomed by name on a reactive LED screen installation covering the full width of the entry wall. A large lunch café was created with a décor scheme that incorporated custom-built, ceiling-high steel LED frames draped with foliage to create smaller, intimate restaurant-style spaces that displayed both technology and nature.
A series of breakout sessions presented content targeted to attendees’ varied interests, while imagery displayed throughout the venue showcased real-life applications of how products designed to empower developers help to unleash the power of data and reimagine possibilities that will improve our world.
Every element of Microsoft Connect(); from registration, breakfast and keynote, to lunch and evening cocktails, were custom-designed to communicate exacting brand messaging and to deliver a high-touch guest experience to this important audience. The keynote and breakout sessions were livestreamed through an onsite studio built for this purpose and content was watched online by millions around the world.
Empire is proud to collaborate with Microsoft on this annual, top-tier business communication event.
To view excerpts of Connect(); 2017, please visit https://www.microsoft.com/connectevent
