Challenge

Coach came to us with a bold and fully realised creative concept for their first ever Corner Shop takeover at Selfridges. At the heart of it was a playful, larger-than-life brand-world built around their most iconic design codes, from their mascot Rexy to their iconic Tabby bag and signature charms, all reimagined at an unexpected scale.

To bring their design to life, they needed an experienced production partner to take their concept and turn it into something real. That meant technically resolving the structure, materials and engineering behind each element so it could actually be built, while staying true to their vision.

They also needed a partner who understood the Selfridges Corner Shop, someone they could trust to ensure everything was technically sound, approved and ready to deliver at scale, without losing the character of the concept.

Solution

The process was a true collaboration with the client, Selfridges and our workshop and production teams to deliver one of their biggest and boldest takeovers in UK to date.

Rexy was the most complex element, standing at just over three metres and designed as a fully functional slide.

A structural steel framework was built to support her scale, developed by our technical team to ensure everything was safe, stable and precise. From there, each section was shaped using CNC-cut templates as a guide, before being hand carved and refined to stay true to the original model.

Every surface was built and assembled before being sanded, painted and glossed by hand, layer by layer, until the finish felt seamless and an exact replica of the original concept.

Rexy now takes over the Selfridges Corner Shop, inviting passersby in to climb up before sliding down as they’re immersed into Coach’s brand world.

The apple, another supersized charm and a nod to Coach’s New York heritage, takes over the space as a fully immersive photo booth.

Our carpenters crafted a bespoke timber frame to house the experience, creating a moment where guests can step into the giant fruit. Up to eight people can fit inside before pulling the curtain closed for their take home photo moment.

As with Rexy, the finish became everything. The surface was refined, polished and brought up to a high gloss, giving it that rich, almost unreal quality, so shiny it feels like you could take a bite out of it.

The iconic Coach charms sit at the centre of the installation as you walk through the door, supersized and surrounded by their latest charm collection. The Statue of Liberty, a New York cab, pretzels and dice, all of their customers’ favourite charms come together as a tower to showcase the collection below.

Their iconic Tabby bag fills one of the full windows, realised as a monogramming station where customers can come in to have their favourite Coach items personalised and tailored. Our production team carefully installed and built the station, creating another immersive moment within the space.

The Corner Shop becomes a supersized play space for their customers. Every element is bold and inviting, and it really needs to be seen to be believed. On opening day, customers queued around the store as they waited to get in, to slide on Rexy, capture moments with their friends inside the photo booth, and leave with their personalised charms and items.

All together, it becomes a fully realised, supersized Coach world, impossible to ignore and built to truly immerse you and stays with you, long after it’s gone.