Artistic pop-up store known under the name “Converse 19YT-Paris” is a mix of grunge and rock & roll styles. The store features original footwear collections and provide “Tune & repair” service, which propose repairs and conservation of shoes, although the famous brand highlights unkempt appearance in their collections based on the slogan: “Shoes keep it clean, sneakers get dirty.”
For the first temporary sale in Europe the brand has chosen decoration styled on abandoned church, with visible plates and shoes mounted on metal pipes attached to the ceiling. The entirety is bold, kept in the rock style of the eighties
In addition to the display and sale of shoes, organizers also invite to a photographic exhibition of the artist “iO Tillet Wright,” the live bands: “The Raveonettes,” “Breton” and “The Black Lips” and a series of happenings, including tattoo display by Franck Pellegrino. Concert tickets can be won on the official website of the brand.
Pop-up stores, which promote the image of well-known brands have become very fashionable in Paris the last few years.
A temporary shop of Magnum has been highly successful, which was opened in Paris in summer 2012. For a month, Parisians could personalize their Magnum ice-cream by selecting all the ingredients and adding decorative elements such as unusual toppings. Paris was the first European city after Jakarta, Tel Aviv and Mexico, where the famous brand have presented their temporary shop. It was visited by over ten thousand people.
Smaller, yet unknown brands are also interested in this new way of promoting. In this way they promote their products, saving on investment in fixed stores while not being dependent exclusively on website advertisement. Since 2011, in the famous district of designers in Paris there is a pop-up boutique (La boutique éphèmere), which organize sales open for public every 6 to 10 weeks. For almost two years of its existence more than 100 artists have shown their collections. From 22 to 24 of March the temporary boutique presented more than 30 designers of fashion, jewelry, accessories, books and household items. The next meeting with designers of the future in the boutique is planned on 11 to 12 of May. Famous Parisian stores such as Galeries Lafayette or Printemps also regularly organize temporary boutiques such as Chanel during the week of prêt-à-porter for the autumn and winter of 2011-2012.
Temporary stores are often accompanied by additional promotional events: concerts, exhibitions and competitions. Customers emphasize the ability to purchase from usually unavailable collections of popular brands at compelling prices, and the opportunity to meet new creators.
Photo © Anna Karahan