The “Empire State” meets state-of-the-art display technology from Christie for an immersive visitor experience this holiday season at the Barneys New York flagship store in Manhattan.
Barneys and Christie have partnered again to bring back the “bricks and mortar” shopping experience, creating magical windows and an in-store gallery through the use of visual technologies. Inspired by music icon and native New Yorker Shawn “JAY Z” Carter, visual artist Joanie Lemercier and Barneys’ creative director Dennis Freedman, “A New York Holiday” is a series of windows facing Madison Avenue and an interactive in-store gallery brought to life by Christie digital display technologies.
“A New York Holiday” premiered November 20th, benefiting the Shawn Carter Foundation, a New York-based charity which awards post-secondary scholarships to students facing socio-economic hardships. Working with artist Joanie Lemercier and Mr. Carter, Barneys will utilize a range of Christie display technology, including projectors, Christie MicroTiles and Christie HD flat panel monitors, to create multimedia events that envelop customers in interactive experiences.
“Barneys New York had an overwhelmingly positive response from customers and designers last year to our holiday windows, which have become known for their use of immersive and interactive narrative with cutting-edge technology that leads people into our store,” said Dennis Freedman, Barneys New York creative director. “Last year, Christie was instrumental in the success of our holiday display. We were confident that Christie’s technology and Managed Services team could help us bring Mr. Carter’s vision to light, not just to our store in Manhattan, but also to select flagship locations in other major cities.”
Tommy Dobrzynski, vice president of visuals at Barneys New York, said, “Everything that encompasses ‘A New York Holiday’ – the items chosen, the designers that participated, the windows, the design of the BNY SCC Gallery, the Christie technology and their team’s ability to help us leverage technology to achieve our creative vision – represents an example of collaboration that I hope will wow customers and passersby.”
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.
MADISON AVENUE WINDOWS
Floating City
The retailer’s 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 3D mapping technology.
Photographs by Tom SibleyMirrors, 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,” said 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 display technologies will be featured in select Barneys regional flagship locations in Beverly Hills, San Francisco, Chicago and Boston, where Christie HD flat panels will greet visitors and provide content to highlight the Shawn “JAY Z” Carter collection within that store.
