During the summer of 2011, I had the opportunity to work on a project that involved pre-fabricating and construction managing a row of bespoke shops at the Vintage Festival held on London’s Southbank. This project was organized by Secret Productions and Papa Projects, who collaborated closely with all the brands participating in the festival.
The design and layout of the street was done by Nick Bartlett of Secret Productions, while the brands themselves supplied the artwork that was hand-painted by the skilled De5ign4 paint crew. During the festival, these shops were occupied by renowned designer brands including Cath Kidston, New Era, and Benefit.
The Vintage Festival was an annual event held in various locations across the UK, where people celebrated the best of British culture, music, and fashion from the 1920s to the 1980s. The festival was organized by Wayne and Gerardine Hemingway (founders of Red or Dead), and it attracted thousands of visitors each year.
The row of bespoke shops was located at the entrance of the festival and was designed to be an integral part of the overall vintage theme. The shops were built using timber frames, which were pre-fabricated off-site and transported to the festival location. This process ensured quicker construction time and allowed for easy installation of the shops on-site.
Each shop was uniquely designed with its own set of challenges, and we had to work closely with the brands and festival organizers to ensure that everything went according to plan. For instance, the Benefit shop required a lot of attention to detail to ensure that all the makeup and beauty products were displayed attractively and that the lighting was appropriate. The Cath Kidston shop required careful consideration to ensure it upheld the brand’s iconic aesthetic.
The challenge of constructing the shops without compromising on quality was a formidable one, but we pulled it off thanks to the dedication and hard work of everyone involved. It was satisfying to see the end result, which was a row of beautiful and unique shops that captured the essence of the Vintage Festival and allowed the participating brands to showcase their products in an innovative way.
Overall, working on this project was an incredible experience that allowed me to gain valuable insights into the construction and design industry. It was exciting to be part of a team that created something memorable and unique for the public to enjoy.
Posted by Thomas Forsyth on 2011-09-22 09:58:33