Store Spotlight: Louis Vuitton x Murakami Pop-Up, SoHo NYC
I visited the LV Pop-Up after NRF with my good friend Marco De Carli of DINN Design.
We visited a few stores but the LV pop-up stood out as the perfect trifecta of experiential, product and customer-obsessed sales associates. The store was engaging, delightful and fun!
Here are the highlights:
Location
The latest pop-up store from Louis Vuitton x Murakami is located in the heart of Soho, at the corner of Prince and Greene. It’s nestled among luxury retailers like Balenciaga and Stella McCartney, and adjacent to the brand’s full-price store.
While its exterior boasts a minimalist white design, the interior is bursting with colorful rooms, creating a stark contrast with the exterior. The store’s unique windows are artistic and playful, just like Murakami. Entering the store through Prince St, I immediately felt like a funhouse exploded inside of a museum.
Overall Design & Aesthetic
Whether you started your journey in the bright green room or the hot pink room, you were greeted with giant flowers on the walls and seats. It felt like I was in a store full of my most favorite type of candy…arm candy that is!
Every room was different. There was a cafe in the pink room and even the countertops had a quirkiness to them. Heading towards the back of the store was yet another delightful room full of art and handbags.
Heading towards the stairs was an on-site care station. The wallpaper changes color to a striking black with the LV logo colorfully plastered on it like an allover print much like one of the iconic bags. This wallpaper guides you on a journey downstairs and into a movie theatre. It’s eerily exciting!
Merchandising
The Louis Vuitton x Murakami pop-up was truly inspired by the artist. From the product placement to the film in the basement, you could sense the entire pop-up was part of the collaboration and it wasn’t just about selling handbags and trinkets. The experience is an extension of the product mix.
Each room was dedicated to a curated assortment and it stared back at you just like art in a museum.
The distinctive color palettes are a sharp contrast to the minimalism you generally find in a luxury store. Each room is enticing and delightful, bright and fun. The dedicated section for repair enticed the customer to come back for a second visit to bring new life to an old handbag.
Customer + Customer Experience
The intention of an activation like this is to have customers interact with in the brand. This LV store did exactly that and more. From instagrammable back drops to the friendly store associates that encourage photos, this space is meant to be SEEN.
Pops of color in every room, flower faced seat cushions and the 3D walls that smiled back at you, the customer experience is pure joy.
Sales Associates
The security guards, the greeters and sales associates are truly exceptional. They encourage guests to wander and take photos. Their uniforms were not harsh and what you would typically find at a retailer or a luxury store. They were off-white with a Judy Jetson vibe.
Post Sale
Around the corner of the pop-up store, was the entrance to another pop-up space with a giant vending machine. Customers who make a purchase receive a token to access the vending machine with surprise limited edition stickers.
Huge thank you to all the sales associates who were so engaging. Special thank you to the wonderful Ashley who gave us a demonstration of the vending machine!
Lastly, thank you to Marco from DINN Design who shared his perspective on the store design and did the walk through with me.
