MARAIS: Delivering light and window magic to high street
CLIENT
MARAIS
marais.com.au
SERVICES
– Strategy
– Production
– Wayfinding
– Marketing Collateral
– UX
THE MISSION
How do you bring together quality coffee, minimalist Japanese aesthetics and a thriving local community, whilst still remaining faithful to the local working-class roots?
That’s what entrepreneurs Danny Lam and Sharad Perera asked when approaching us to launch Felix Culpa, their first hospitality joint-venture.
With a name synonymous with high style, luxury boutique MARAIS is a highly sought-after Melbourne institution for the most discerning among us.
Situated at the Parisian end of Bourke Street with commanding street frontage, the flagship womenswear boutique attracts global recognition, and when an opportunity arose to create a seasonal display window welcoming the Year of the Ox, we were engaged for our creative process and capabilities to bring their vision to life.
THE OUTCOME
As part of the team, we helped design the visual merchandising experience, bringing together a scene of a running ox, utilising classical Asian art motifs for an otherworldly experience. Design elements were arranged in a three-dimensional space and fabricated separately to further give the illusion of depth and mystery to the final installation, and care was taken to ensure the display still allowed for prominent merchandising of selected goods.
Custom red pockets, or hóngbāo / angpao, traditionally given to loved ones during the new year, were also produced for gifting to their clientele, in line with the full MARAIS service experience.
THE IMPACT
Upon launch, increases in local foot traffic were recorded during this period, and spikes in engagement across social media channels were also reported. Themed to welcome the Year of the White Metal Ox, the symbolism of a force of power approaching the fore and ushering in new beginnings was not lost on the client’s considerable Asian clientele.
The resulting seasonal display at MARAIS Womens played an integral role in bringing liveliness and reinvigorate a prestigious thoroughfare impacted by lockdowns and uncertainty, and the enduring allure of a seeming simple window display to transport us to a simpler age, if only for a moment, is powerful indeed and nothing short of magic. Happy New Year.
20%+
foot traffic increase
IN THE 3 WEEKS FOLLOWING WINDOW UNVEILING
50+
“whoa” moments per day
6,088
LED backlights used for display
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When building our next project, we knew from experience there was nobody better than Sinan to help visualise and actualise our vision. His team has the dedication and the ability to execute on target every time.
Lu H.
MARAIS Marketing Director
Credit: Images supplied by Client