“Living Perfume: The natural Alchemy of Mandy Aftel” is now open from April 18th through May 11th 2009
New York, NY—Henri Bendel will launch an innovative “pop-up” interactive exhibit, “Living Perfume: The Natural Alchemy of Mandy Aftel,” featuring the perfume, craft, and collection of the world’s leading natural perfumer, on the third floor of its landmark Fifth Avenue, New York City building. The exhibit, which will run from April 18th through May 11th, 2009, is an exploration of the authentic beauty of fragrances that come directly from nature, shown on a continuum: from the raw materials themselves, through the essential oils, to the finished perfume—all aspects are illustrated by perfumer Mandy Aftel’s world-renowned collection of historical natural perfume design.
The exhibit will invite consumers to experience a perfume deconstructed; they will be able to smell Aftel’s Parfum de Maroc’s essences as individual notes, as combined chords, and as a finished perfume.
“We are thrilled to be able to bring perfumer Mandy Aftel’s art and collection to the world. The exhibit will be a rare window into her creative process, an important educational opportunity and an unparalleled aesthetic experience,” says Julie Anixter, organizer of the event and Chief Marketing Officer of Brandimage – Desgrippes & Laga. “This experiential in-store exhibition is as multi-layered—literally and figuratively—as Aftel’s fine all-natural perfumes.”
Sculptural forms made from smooth, silhouetted layers of white sustainable eco-board suggest the sensuality of natural elements—trees, stone formations, a forest path—while paralleling the layers of perfume and invoking the mystery and beauty of scent.
The space is designed to “impose” itself into the store environment in the way that a tree would grow on a busy urban street.
“Henri Bendel is such a vibrant and ‘complete’ environment that the challenge we faced was how to ‘disrupt’ the environment in a way that would draw people to the third floor and into the exhibit from that glorious atrium, and then enthrall them with Mandy’s art and the journey inside,” says Jeremy Dawkins, Executive Creative Director of Brandimage – Desgrippes & Laga.
Ultimately, the exhibit came together as a collaboration between one artist and many specialist firms.
“Everyone involved understands that consumers are interested in naturals. Aftel’s singular vision made it easy for us to attract a talented group of collaborators,” states Anixter. Primary collaborators include: Heller Communication Design, Jody Hanson Design, the Fragrance Foundation, the singer Donovan, Arcade Ltd, AS Custom Furniture, EA International (who provided the eco-board), MWV, Novo Arts, Parallax, Robertet, Shutterstock, and Samsung, and a team of Henri Bendel executives.
The exhibit, dedicated to the sense of smell, aromatics and the art of natural perfume, features Aftel’s body of work—her perfumes and oils, research and writings and personal library of rare books, graphics and artifacts.
Brandimage – Desgrippes & Laga focused on developing an experiential design for the exhibit that mirrors Aftel’s perfume through the use of layers, eco-materials in homage to the natural world, and by creating a sense of beauty and mystery. Brandimage was responsible for the exhibit design and created the strategy for the exhibit in conjunction with Heller.
Sustainable Materials and responsible Design
“The eco-board used to build the entire exhibit focuses on Rule No.1 in sustainable designs: Re-Use,” says Lisa Lai, President of EA International and a board member of the China-US Center for Sustainable Development. “It took two people only a few hours to install the whole exhibit because we used Xanita recycled post-consumer and 100% re-pulpable materials, E-Core Plus™ (EC+) structured lightweight boards, combining with the most advanced digital printing/cutting technologies to build the entire exhibit and decorative fixture items."
After the event, Lai says most of the fixtures will remain in their current space, converting into Bendel bookstore fixtures as well as for Bendel to use for future exhibits.
“This triple-function exhibit sets the trend for future sustainable retail designs,” she adds. “And these fixtures are very clean—no formaldehyde, no toxics, no PE, no wax—so they fit into the store’s good air quality environment.”
The exhibit was originated and produced by Sensory Runway, a company dedicated to accelerating sensory branding in the world.
Heller Communications Design is a leading brand strategy and communications firm, creating brands that embody a sustainable future and inspiring the innovation needed to get there. The company is based in New York City and Norfolk, Connecticut.
With a team of 300 experts in all important markets across the world, Brandimage – Desgrippes & Laga offers holistic services designed to deliver rich brand experiences for consumers, from brand strategy and consumer insight, to brand identity, industrial design, package design, graphics, innovation, interactive, retail experience and architecture in one integrated offering. The company was specifically created to leverage the potential of brand design as the best way to give life to brands.
Brandimage – Desgrippes & Laga, one of the world’s largest international brand design agency, was formed from the combination of Desgrippes Gobé, a global design firm, and laga, a leading American design and innovation agency. With a team of 300 experts across every essential market in the world, Brandimage – Desgrippes & Laga offers fully integrated services designed to deliver meaningful brand experience for consumers. Our stellar, award-winning capabilities range from brand strategy and consumer insight, to brand identity, industrial design, packaging design, graphics, innovation, interactive, retail experience and architecture – and beyond. The company was specifically created to leverage the potential of design as the best way to give life to brands.
