12
May 2016
Creating a Festival Vibe for Coty
To celebrate Coty’s Nail Day we were asked to help them create a festival vibe to showcase five of their nail varnish brands. We designed a “Coty Fest” logo especially for the event and matched it to the key spring nail shade for each brand. This was then printed as logo vinyls which were used for branding on product plinths.
The room was dressed with a large area of artificial grass, with more grass added to the top of the product displays, along with our miniature wooden phrases which we painted in the key colours.
Creating areas for the manicurists to relax we included picnic tables, straw bales covered in branding and pretty food stalls with colourful painted stripes.
08
May 2016
Last weekend whilst everyone was sunbathing in England we made our way to a rather rain swept Marbella. We were there to install our furniture for a party rather than sunbathe so it didn't matter too much, but it did slightly dampen the smug smiles of team working on the event.
Inside the hotel lobby we arranged our tables, island seats, mirror tables, milla stools, bench poseurs and our new monpas low tables along with a bespoke acqua shard perspex bar. Outside partygoers enjoyed relaxing on our Havana sofas, chairs and tables as the sun finally broke through.
The Invisible Blue team don't travel light and it's safe to say that this definitely wasn't a hand luggage trip!
22
Apr 2016
Recreating the classics at The British Museum
Our event furniture gets to attend some pretty swanky events; last week we were delighted to help out
Wise Productions by supplying them with our poseur tables covered with a bespoke, funky pattern-printed vinyl along with banquettes and benches at their fabulous event at The British Museum.
09
Apr 2016
Bringing the London Look to life
Rimmel London recently held a competition inviting international beauty Vloggers to win a trip to London to learn how to create the London Look. The winners jetted off for a two day trip to work with Rimmel make-up artists to experience makeup demos, workshops and question and answer sessions, with the Vloggers filming and editing footage to record their London inspired tutorials.
The event was held in YouTube studios which we transformed with a Carnaby Street catwalk and the installation of a London park complete with astro turf and deck chairs for Vloggers to lounge on. Our summer stage included giant nail varnishes and lip glosses bursting into bloom, forming a colourful London back drop for Rita Ora who was on hand to share tips on her favourite make-up looks and products.
For more check out the You Tube video below.
09
Mar 2016
Hilton Launches Its Largest Campaign Ever
A campaign designed by
Shiraz Events, allowed commuters at Kings Cross Station the opportunity to win the holiday of a lifetime with just one click of a mouse.
We worked overnight night with Shiraz Events installing the #StopClickingAround activation so it was ready for the early morning commuters to arrive at the station. Our production included a giant 1.5 meter mouse created to operate the large LED screen. 500 computer mice were also applied to the surrounding set where guests were invited by Hilton Hotels to click the mouse and win one of thousands of prizes.
14
Dec 2015
Take off with the Boden Grand Tour
Working on press days for spring/summer season always fill us with joy; building a set with a pastel colour palette means we get to spend our time dreaming about the warmer days returning. Our brief for the Boden SS16 press day this year was to capture that spirit of summer and travel to glamorous holidays in sunnier climes. Our role was to help Boden create a sense of a journey abroad by building a set which gave guests a ‘Grand Tour’ of the new season’s range prior to the collection landing in January 2016.
Press were invited to the event with a BDN Airlines boarding pass, which gave them the first clue to the theme that waited them at The Hellenic Centre, which we had helped to transform into a whimsical airport arrivals lounge with animated artwork displayed on a giant arrival screen.
One of the favourite features from the day was our luggage conveyor belt which acted as a rotating catwalk, delivering models and their clothing into the first class lounge for waiting press to admire. Bloggers and press have been swooning about the new range that they got to see (pink and orange shoes along with tassel bags have been flooding Instagram accounts everywhere!) but as well as the clothing they also fell head over heels for all the styling details, including the vintage travel magazines and retro suitcases. The attention to detail by Boden, from signage to the tags on the clothes, ensured the press day was a flight of fancy to remember and we were delighted to see photos of our animated graphics were widely shared over various social media platforms.
You can see the runway in action on the Boden video below:
09
Sep 2015
Elegance in the countryside
The Invisible Blue team has had a busy summer of events, creating unique environments for a wide range of parties. One of our favourite styles this summer was “refined elegance”; an understated look where the styling complements the landscape. Gentle soft ivory and sage green creates a simple yet sophisticated colour scheme which sits naturally within a garden setting for a laid back party atmosphere. Pairing the sage green with mirrors and simple white florals makes for a classic finish.
On this occasion we worked with our friends at
Intent Productions who supplied a chino coloured stretch awning, which blended into the garden perfectly. Simple uplighting created warmth as night fell and guests danced the night away. A perfect summer evening.
23
Aug 2015
A magical London roof top provided an idyllic backdrop for this summer celebration. Briefed by event agency
Evolve Events we got down to work creating a stunning setting for a retirement party for an American who wanted to celebrate both his American roots and English successes.
Alarm clocks were set early on the day of the event for our crew of 24 as they loaded the van with a mountain of equipment to arrive at the venue for a 5am build. The team was then split into two, simultaneously working on both the interior and exterior installation to ensure all was ready by 4pm for client approval.
As guests started to arrive at the venue they were welcomed with reception drinks into the garden which was transformed with a summer chic vibe. Laid back furniture and food serving points were created from stained plywood and old oil drums to complete the relaxed, informal atmosphere. Graphic signs were designed and installed to highlighting the variety of stalls available, each showcasing different street food.
As the evening progressed, guests made their way into the night club and VIP lounge where shimmering tiled panels and a mirrored dance floor, along with animal print and red hot upholstery, created a look reminiscent of a retro New York nightclub; boogie-on-down!
16
Jul 2015
Ed Sheeran immortalised in ticket stubs
This summer Ed Sheeran topped the number of searches on ticket marketplace StubHub. To celebrate the singer being revealed as the hottest act appearing in the UK this year, StubHub commissioned a giant installation of the man himself.
Working on these kind of publicity stunts is always fun so we couldn't wait to get stuck in when Teatime Productions asked us to lend a hand with the creation of a giant Ed Sheeran.
The mural was created using 13,000 ticket stubs which were applied to 1m x 1m square boards by our talented team over the weekend, prior to the installation. Each had a carefully planned plot to follow devised by our in house graphic designer, who broke down the image of Ed into a pixelated grid.
Boards were laid onto the grass in Russel Square and cleated together so as to lay flat and seamlessly on the slightly uneven ground, with the final piece measuring 8m x 10m.
The event was a great success and generated over 60 pieces of national, consumer and regional coverage.
14
Jul 2015
A party to remember | VE Day Themed Gala Dinner
This year saw the 70th anniversary of VE Day, marking the end of the Second World War, and remembrances and celebrations were held across the country to mark the day.
To help commemorate the occasion, the team behind the 2015 Leadenhall Ball decided to use VE Day as a theme for their bi-annual fund raiser. We were asked by Ball Associates to work with them to capture the sense of celebration that occurred in 1945.
The wartime themed gala evening ball was held at the wonderfully historic Leadenhall Market in the heart of the City of London. Dating back to the 1300s, this is one of the oldest markets in London and its stunning Victorian architecture, cobbled walkways and painted ceiling makes a perfect backdrop for events.
We wanted to take guests on a journey through time and recreate some of the atmosphere at the end of the war. At the entrance we transported guests back to the reality of living in London during the war by building an air-raid shelter, complete with camouflage netting that stretched out into the street, and surrounded it with panels of scenic brickwork. Our round bar, made in corrugated iron, was also situated here from which reception drinks were served.
As guests moved through to dinner the mood was lifted into one of celebration as we constructed a victorious street party. Overhead, bunting was strung across the street, along with huge flags and balloons to create a party feel. All the tables had a nostalgic 1940s feel and were dressed with vintage style china and battery powered lamps.
The event space was designed by erecting scaffolding which screened the area, and dressing it with backlit views of the London skyline which were highlighted by search lights scanning the sky from lighting rigs. The atmosphere was further enhanced with one of the most evocative sounds of the Second World War; the deep rumbling from the engine of a Spitfire plane, replicas of which were hung in formation across the ceiling.
25
Jun 2015
Pre-Wedding Party Featured On Style-Me-Pretty
Whenever we get asked to work on a project with
Teatime Productions we always know that we’re going to be in for a treat. As one of London’s premiere party planners you can be guaranteed an extraordinary celebration, so we were delighted to be asked to be involved in helping them create a pre-wedding party; overseeing elements including layout, design and lighting.
Photographer Catherine Mead did an amazing job capturing every special moment and we are very grateful that we’ve been given permission to share some of the stunning images.
The party consisted of two halves with contrasting styles. The initial drinks reception started on the lawn with a quintessentially English garden style. We worked with the fabulous Raj Tent Club to create clusters of canopies dressed with both our and their tent club furniture in classic wedding white and cream. In addition we built a smart bar in soft green, dressed by the florist, to complement the garden.
Guest then wandered through the garden to the lake where completely different styling was used to create a modern Asian look which was all about bright, clean colours.
Clusters of awnings around the lake were erected by
Intent Productions; a large main structure stretched out over the lake for the bar and dancing, whilst smaller structures were tied off to the surrounding trees for the food stalls which we installed with brightly coloured fret work panels whilst taking into account the sloping grounds!
The main structure housed a lit bar and stage with a back lit backdrop. Inside we continued the modern Asian style with bright jewel colours and created a painted dance floor, set onto a boarded turquoise carpeted floor.
Clusters of our ottoman and modernist chairs, made in bright colours inspired by the Bride’s mother’s collection of Cambodian silk fabric and lanterns, created seating areas around the lake whilst lanterns were hung from the surrounding trees.
The festoon lighting and hanging lanterns in the trees gave a soft romantic glow of light around the perimeters of the lake with brighter wash lighting to the marquee structures.
If you’d like to read more about the party and the wedding day itself over on the Style Me Pretty blog.
02
Jun 2015
All Hail The New British!
Leading British fashion company Boden launched their AW15 collection last month in a riot of fun and colour, showcased in their very own custom designed mini-high street.
Titled ‘All Hail New British’ much of the collection is made in Britain which is great for shoppers who want to know how ethically their clothes are produced and it was wonderful to be asked by
The Sunshine Company to help them create a showcase that celebrates the best of British.
Each collection was given its own individual space or ‘shop’ with a unique design featuring large open walk through windows and door ways:
• Icons: A chip board fronted shop with a bespoke stencil painting - made using a disposable vinyl and painting each letter a different colour. Inside the walls were painted silver and a large custom made steel oval hanging rail was suspended from above with chains displaying clothing concepts.
• Mini Boden: The shop fascia was clad in real foliage with hanging paper mâché floating gloves suspending children's clothing below. Inside were white washed walls, custom made branch rails and a bespoke children's den which was made from slatted timbers.
• All Things Eclectic: A vibrant orange fascia with picture frame shelving to one side and a hanging chair display with a wallpapered back wall and large suspended filament bulbs.
• Johnnie B: A point of sale for mid teen audiences, this slot-together design displayed a range of clothing as well as old school records and festoon lighting.
Some of the biggest names in fashion journalism attended the event and enjoyed spending time discussing the new collection with their colleagues in our bespoke café featuring a Zinc topped white wash bar with hanging paper rolls and upside down bicycle rails.
Guests could also receive their promotional goodies for the day at the Boden newstand to which was made from a white washed ply structure with newspaper shelving and flowers displayed either side.
Other fun touches included a Boden Library which could be found in our custom made yellow phone box which was filled with Penguin paperbacks for guests to choose a couple of books, with the intention of passing them on and share the joy of reading.
You can see some of the build of the set along with what the fashion press thought of the launch on this film here:
16
Apr 2015
Tinseltown comes to Knightsbridge
Every year
Kent House Knightsbridge, a Victorian Townhouse venue, create a bespoke theme for their Christmas party season. This year we were delighted to be asked by
Evolve Events, who manage the venue, to help them create a style for their 2015 theme, Hollywood Thrills.
To capture the excitement of a Hollywood party we worked with Evolve to create a luxurious new party theme enabling guests to experience the full red carpet treatment of a Hollywood Star, as they enter a world of glitz and glamour.
Our key role was to design and build a bespoke bar from which guests will be served cocktails and drinks during the Christmas festivities. To create a real Hollywood vibe we built at a mirrored film strip at the top and bottom of the bar and included giant ‘lightbulb’ letters and dressed it in dramatic colours of gold, black and red.
A recent showcase event at the venue was attended by over 200 event agents and event buyers who came over two nights to sample both the Christmas and Summer packages and enjoy drinks from the bar.
Evolve made a timelapse video of the bar being installed which we’d like to thank them for letting us share with you, along with a film of the showcase evening itself where we supplied a range of event furniture from our sister company, IVB Direct, including a second circular bar along with Chesterfield sofas and Castle arm chairs and Prestige and Poser tables.
19
Mar 2015
A night at the museum; a stunning event set up by Wise Productions at the Natural History Museum.
Last month we were thrilled when our sister company
IVB Direct was asked by our friends at
Wise Productions to supply furniture and bars for an event at the Natural History Museum.
Fabulous bespoke bars and food stations with fretwork fascia backed in mirror gave a stylish look which was complemented with simple white furniture which included our Mila stools, bench poser tables and popular ottoman ranges.
The combination of this stunning venue, sensitive and beautiful lighting from the Wise Guys, gorgeous food from "rhubarb" and our very own furniture made for a spectacular result.
We'd like to thank Wise Productions for asking IVB Direct to be part of this event and also for generously allowing us use of their images.
06
Mar 2015
Behind-the-scenes at London Fashion Week 2015
London Fashion Week is one of the biggest events in the fashion calendar. We were lucky enough to be asked by
Family Events to provide some of the set required for shows including Paul Smith, Pringle, Erdem and Topshop.
Each show requires its own look and feel to be created, specific to the collection of the designer. The catwalk design needs to reflect the look of the show without dominating it.
Work starts with the designers at Family, weeks before the excitement, glamour and glitz of the live shows. Hours of preparation and construction are underway in the workshop prior to the shows to ensure onsite installation goes as smoothly as possible.
These images are from the Paul Smith show held at the Royal College of Art. The design featured a loose network of walls and screens in an industrial orange tinted MDF, selected to complement the building interior.
Designer Johan Berglund created this stunning design, which fitted the venue and Paul Smith brand perfectly.
26
Feb 2015
London Fashion Week; The Shows That Mattered
With hundreds of shows running during London Fashion Week it’s hard to create an impact and stand out in the media buzz so we were delighted when two of the shows we worked on with
Family Events were included by The Guardian in their article
‘The Eight Shows That Mattered’.
Whilst the Topshop show was praised for the collection it was the review of Erdem as being ‘the week’s greatest stage set’ that really got us smiling.
Erdem took his influence for the fashion show from ‘The Collector’; an installation at Frieze arts show that recreated a late-1960's Paris apartment of an art collector. This was the stand-out piece at Frieze Masters last year as it took a new approach of lifestyle merchandising for selling art. Behind a pile of dirty teacups in the sink sat a painting by Pablo Picasso, while a piece by Alberto Giacometti was propped up beside the bedside table. Erdem was so inspired by this piece that he asked the designer, Robin Brown, to produce a narrative set for his AW15 show that created a character around an environment.
For Erdem’s show we worked under the guidance of Robin Brown and
Family Events to create a 1950s home; building the walls, adding doors and trims and flocked wall paper, whilst Robin’s team aged and dressed the set which recreated a living room filled with typewriters, houseplants and discarded magazines. The show was held in The Old Selfridges Hotel, a huge industrial space directly above Selfridges and now only used for one-off events and art installations. The team worked on the build for seven days getting every detail right. The lived-in feel was created with furnishings including cut-glass crystal strewn about, unpacked suitcases and cans of hairspray and provided the environment to exploring a character by not only her clothes but the place they live in.
The shows got great reviews across the press, including 'Erdem easily won the award for most-oohed-over show' by The Telegraph as well as an article about the show in Wallpaper magazine who included a great behind-the-scenes video of the set build which you can view here. And if you're more interested in the clothes (which were of course stunning) you can see the video of the show below:
12
Feb 2015
Vintage wedding with a sense of drama
Private Drama is an event company with a difference. Starting off as a small acting troupe, they have taken their creative credentials and established an events business with a reputation for delivering high concept themes with unsurpassed creativity. When they asked if we’d like to be part of their team to deliver a wedding with an urban vintage feel, we jumped at the chance as we knew it would be an incredible day.
The wedding was held at Testbed1 which is housed next to an old dairy in Battersea, on the banks of the river Thames. This warehouse venue provides nearly 8,000 square foot of versatile space and is perfect for parties, especially if you’re looking for a stripped back industrial setting.
The brief was to maximise the space for every element of the day; from the ceremony, to the drinks reception right through to the dinner and dancing. Hosting a wedding in one space creates a lovely intimacy but logistically it can require a lot of change overs. Needless to say, we were all kept busy!
To divide the space and still keep the overall look informal, calico draping was used. After the ceremony the drapes were removed, revealing a cosy informal chill out area with vintage arm-chairs and Kent Chesterfield sofas. The stripped back décor, with exposed brickwork and original tiles, provided a raw industrial backdrop against which were placed an abundance of eclectic props for visual interest, including an antique table covered with sweets and a cabinet of curiosities.
Whilst guests enjoyed the reception drinks all the suppliers worked together to transform the ceremony space for dinner; drapes were removed, the stage set for the band, tables pulled into position and dressed and stunning floral arrangements put on display.
Complementing the vibrant mixed spring flowers provided by Pinstripes and Peonies, bespoke table tops were made with blackboard paint. Chalks were then scattered across the tables for guests to doodle with and leave personal messages for the bride and groom.
Overhead, festoon lighting swaged across the ceiling emitting a soft light, whilst romantic lighting was also installed. The dancefloor lighting fixtures were discreetly suspended so as not to distract from the venue’s own fabulous coloured light sticks.
It really was a very special day and we’d like to thank
Private Drama for inviting us to be part of such a gorgeous wedding. Just like the venue, the whole affair was laid back and relaxed and the finished results were effortlessly stylish.
05
Feb 2015
Flexible Banquette furniture ideas
Is it any wonder that
banquettes are one of our most popular pieces of hired event furniture? Possibly the perfect piece of event furniture; the simple style complements any surrounding and the modular, versatile design means that they can fit into almost any space. Low level seating provides the informality often required for a break-out area whilst the clean lines guarantees an elegance that means they are also suitable for the most sophisticated of events.
Over the years we’ve been asked to provide banquettes in a range of colours and fabrics including cotton, velvet, PVC and bespoke printed designs as well as using fabrics from our clients own range such as Ted Baker and Cavalli. Upholstering each banquette for every order means that not only are they brand new each time but that they can be tailored to suit the look and feel of any event.
Banquettes come in 4’ / 6’ and 8’ lengths or combinations of, with or without backs, and are typically paired with cube stools and tables. They look great on their own or grouped together to create a variety of seating designs - here are three very different looks we've created with them.
27
Jan 2015
A priviledge to Prive once again
With it’s vintage & luxury cars and the mingling of the rich & famous, Salon Prive is one classy event. So what are we doing there?
Well, it’s our good fortune (and hard work of course) that has given us the opportunity to work on this event for three of it’s five year history. And being preferred suppliers to Hurlingham Club means that we know this lovely venue pretty well by now.
We can’t really compete with the eye-catching cars on show, so we lent it a subtle and tasteful touch. The stage was embellished with a 16’ high cut out, mirror Salon Prive logo which neatly hugged the central projection screen and glinted in the room’s creative, colourful lighting. After-dinner chillout areas zones were created with chic furniture and floating colour changing globes to create an ambient atmosphere. We doubt any of them drove their expensive cars home afterwards.
18
Jan 2015
Looking good with Fudge Fix pop-up hairdressing salon
As the Official Styling Partner at London Collections: Men for the Autumn/Winter 2015 shows,
Fudge Professional wanted to create something special over the four day event. We were asked to help them create a pop-up hair salon for those attendees of the fashion shows that felt in need of a hair-fix.
Located at Victoria House, our pop-up salon consisted of six hairdressing stations complete with chairs, mirrors, false walls, floated laminated shelves and Perspex product shelves.
Window vinyl enticed visitors into the space where Fudge Professional stylists were on hand to provide dry cuts, blow-dries and styling from a bespoke Fudge style menu. And for those in need of inspiration, a flush mounted plasma screen showed rolling footage of styling videos.
17
Jan 2015
Joanna Lumley eats The Rainbow.
January can be a grey and gloomy month so we were delighted when our friends at
Teatime Production got in touch and invited us to help them create a colourful installation for consumer PR agency
Unity, on behalf of Marks and Spencer.
M&S wanted to create a ‘rainbow’ of fruit at Westfield Shopping centre which would be unveiled by Joanna Lumley as part of their ongoing campaign to encourage people to eat more fruit and vegetables.
The rainbow was made from over 1,000 pieces of fruit and vegetables. From mangos and red onions, to aubergines and even sweet potatoes, it included 20 varieties of produce; each one of which had to be individually sewn onto a fine wire and arranged to create an impressive hanging installation.
The installation stayed in situ for the weekend whilst the team at Teatime Production dispensed delicious juice samples, recipes and information on M&S's vast range of free healthy eating resources.
What a great way to beat those January blues!
01
Jan 2015
Santa Baby, Hurry Down The Chimney Tonight
Each year Twitter has generously supplied its network of brand agencies with a festive treat in the spirit of Christmas. This year, creative agency
Brand Fuel asked us to work with them on behalf of Twitter and help make and install 17 fireplace sets in 17 locations across central London. Each fireplace featured a unique hash tag handle relating to the respective agencies and came with a range of decorations which each company could use to decorate their fireplace in their own style. These fireplaces acted as a delivery platform from which a present (from Twitter to the brand agencies) would appear each day.
28
Dec 2014
When the circus came to town.
Roll up roll up to the wonderful world of the circus! This Christmas we were asked by
Ulitmate Experience to help them transform the bare venue of Old Billingsgate Market into a vintage style circus space for an unforgettable party night.
To create drama and excitement we built a tunnel with twinkling pea lights for guests to walk through, before arriving into our purpose made Big Top. A large circus sign, constructed with vintage style light bulbs, announced the theme and inside the Big Top circus acts performed on our circular stage. The wonderful world of the circus was further enhanced with bright drapes suspended from the ceiling along with large circus posters and bright oversized balloons.
11
Dec 2014
Rita Ora launches new Rimmel London Colourfest Lip & Nail Collection
This month singer, actress and model Rita Ora got up close and personal with some of the giant nail varnish bottles we made for the launch of her latest make-up range for Rimmel at the Ace Hotel in Shoreditch.
This was a high profile event for our client Coty Inc., who had invited leading journalists from all over Europe to attend their press event. To create stand out branding for them we produced large Rimmel letters made in polystyrene with each letter painted in one of the hero shades from the new range.
The day was all about a celebration of colour. Guests were welcomed in the bar area which was decorated with bright gerbera flowers before breaking out for workshops and interviews with Rita Ora who was unveiling her latest products.
Rita Ora’s new range of nail varnishes and lip glosses is for the spring summer season and draws on festival chic so the products were displayed on strips of grass and pretty pieces of camping gear were also used to create a carefree ambience. Life size Rimmel branded 2D VW campervans created the backdrops for the manicure stations where journalists could sample the new colours themselves.
All the colours had cool names with a festival twist such as ‘Glastonberry’ ‘Rain rain go away’ and ‘Tangerine Tent’. For the event we produced giant replica models of the 6 hero nail polish colours and the red lip gloss (Oh My Gloss). Rita had great fun posing with the replicas and loved them so much that she even asked to keep one of them.
We really enjoyed working on this event and the team were delighted to receive this lovely feedback from our client:
"Thank you once again for this great PR day! You helped us tremendously in pulling off a seamless and harmonious event. The journalists were absolutely thrilled by their day in London and their interview with Rita. And thanks to your splendid decoration we have already had some great tweets and instagram posts all over the world!" Coty Inc.
09
Dec 2014
Christmas at Borough Market
Christmas at Borough Market is always an extra special time as stalls are piled high with seasonal produce to tempt shoppers. This year to mark Borough Market’s 1,000th Christmas in Southwark, they are attempting to achieve 1,000 simultaneous kisses underneath a ceiling of individually tied bunches of mistletoe.
We were asked by Teatime Production to help create the mistletoe ceiling and enhance the Christmas atmosphere by decking the arches with beautiful festive decorations and creating a breath-taking Christmas display.
In the market, shoppers will be encouraged to get in the mood by sharing their Christmas kisses underneath the mistletoe - a simple kiss on the cheek will do! The idea behind the event is that by puckering up, enough energy will be created to connect the Christmas lights - and at the same time set a new world record.
Our installation also features over 1,000 red ribbons, 40 giant baubles and 30 sets of lights. To ensure everything was in place we worked over night, sending our team up into the rafters on two cherry pickers to attach the wires that would hold the decorations. It’s pretty chilly up there at 2am in the morning!
You can find out more about this event, which was held on Tuesday 16th December at 12.30pm, by following the hashtag #BM1000kisses and you might also enjoy these films Borough Market made showing the how the Christmas display was created along with the attempt for the Guiness Book of Records. If you pay attention to the first film you can even spot Jill and Richard at the beginning!
26
Nov 2014
Creating the classic Winter Wonderland theme for Christmas party season
The classic look of a winter wonderland is always a popular theme for Christmas Parties or Winter Balls and it's one that we regularly get asked to help create. So much so that we have our own Pinterest board where we keep lots of winter wonderland images for inspiration. You can click
here to view our board.
Our first winter wonderland interior for the 2014 Christmas season was for Gavin Parkhouse Ltd at a private party where we helped them to install a tree lined walkway into a marquee where guests were transported into a frozen winter landscape.
Inside the marquee was a lounge area with white chaise lounges and silver cushions, perspex stools and mirrored tables. Low soft lighting and candles created the feel of a warm winter glow.
A circular bar made of ice and engraved with snowflakes was made by Ice Box and filled the centre of the marquee. Above the bar a trio of spiral chandeliers were suspended.
In addition a smaller bar with a silver birch bark strip fascia was installed in the lobby whilst the round mirrored dancefloor was enhanced with a castle stage set with the DJ raised 6 feet in the air. Guests were also able to take a break from the dancing by slipping through a doorway in the set to have some fun with a hidden photobooth.
The marquee was blacked out and filled with hundreds of pea lights which enhanced the sparkle of giant glitter covered snowflakes. Disco balls were suspended from the ceiling to create a dancefloor that shimmered and twinkled. Gobo lighting also projected snowflakes onto the floor, adding to the winter feel.
22
Nov 2014
Making Littlewoods Christmas wishes come true
The Littlewoods Christmas campaign was recently launched with a TV advert that is an Aladdin-inspired pantomime extravaganza in which brand ambassador Myleene Klass appears from a lamp granting wishes and transforming old items into the latest brands from Littlewoods.
Last week in the run up to Christmas Littlewoods worked with Cake PR to create a live event to take their Wishes campaign to the streets creating a real Christmas feel by giving away presents to lucky shoppers along London’s Southbank. All the lucky passer-by had to do was rub a giant genie lamp, created by our Invisible Blue team, for their wishes to come true.
We were delighted when Cake asked us to be part of this event by providing surround screens and a giant size lamp from which Myleene Klass was conjured up as the Christmas genie and then went out to give out gifts to members of the public.
Myleen tweeted earlier in the day: 'Doing something very special tonight. Giving away Xmas presents and granting wishes as a genie. Watch this space.'
You can see Myleen and our lamp in action in this video clip from the evening:
18
Nov 2014
Launch party for new fragrance: Chloé Love Story
Last month the Coty Prestige fragrance company hosted a press launch party at Somerset House to present the new Chloé Love Story fragrance to the press, VIP’s and influencers.
Chloé Love Story is a new fragrance initially launched in Paris this September and this event was aimed at introducing the perfume to the British press. Love Story is inspired by Parisian romance and the love padlocks on the bridge of the Pont des Arts.
The perfume has a floral composition and the scent is clean and fresh and it was important that the styling of the venue reflected this.
The perfume bottle design is modern and refined and features pleated glass and a ribbon is tied to the handle. It was this simplicity and elegance that we were asked to help convey.
Somerset House is a lovely London venue with a riverside location with white walls which provided the perfect neutral backdrop for a minimal and fresh look which wouldn't distract from the product.
For the branding we created giant letters made from wire mesh spelling out Chloé Love Story. These were placed on a stage to create a focal point in the room. The wire mesh was in a soft gold colour and the transparency of the design kept the look light and fresh, in keeping with the perfume itself.
Commercials play a crucial role in perfume sales as they not only drive awareness but also help to convey emotion and passion. We installed plasma screen surrounds at Somerset House so that Coty could screen the Love Story video, featuring French actress Clémence Poésy, to the press.
We also built a bar with perspex shelves to display the perfume and enable guests to sample the product as well as providing lounge furniture to create a relaxed informal atmosphere.
08
Nov 2014
A wonderful wedding in Santorini
Last month we were asked by party planning company,
Snapdragon | London, to fly out to Santorini to help them provide the set design, styling and lighting at a sensational wedding. Santorini is such a romantic location to get married in, with dizzy views out over the blue Aegean sea and some of the best sunsets in the world. The wedding was held outside, to highlight the beauty of Santorini and in particular its unique volcanic landscape which made for a spectacular backdrop to the day.
Our brief was to create a wedding setting and bring an intimacy and warmth to this large outdoor space. For the amount of kit required we had three artic trucks to transport everything. Our drivers left London on the 16th September and it took them five days before they arrived on the island on the 21st. As the scope of the job was so varied and complex in it's scale we had twenty four different crew members on site including set builders, dressers, lighting technicians, riggers and a stretch tent specialist.
We had a six day build period which during which we experienced unseasonal storms and high winds. The weather proved to be an unexpected challenge as we worked in stifling heat and then rushed to cover everything during the dramatic rains that also fell. As is always the way of things in the event industry we were working to tight deadlines so the crew were also wrapped in plastic sheets so they could continue to work. Oh the glamour!
We created different areas within the cliffs including spaces for the wedding breakfast, a stage for entertainment, a dancefloor and lounge areas to relax. Two bars were built; the main centerpiece bar was a large square bar with a decorative finish, filled with a tall centre piece with baskets containing masses of white flowers.
A circular brushed aluminium dancefloor was built, along with a huge stage with a truss surround and a stretched canopy awning for the entertainment and compulsory Greek dancing. The surrounding cliffs were lit up with a range of lighting effects.
Arches around the dining tables were created for florist Wild At Heart to create a stunning floral backdrop for the wedding breakfast.
We also installed a luxurious chill out lounge area for guests to take a moment to gather their breadth from all the excitement which included some traditional Greek plate smashing on a pretty impressive scale.
Decorative lighting lit up the different areas throughout the wedding including the sides of the cliffs and the evening ended with a spectacular firework display.
The wedding was a wonderful event and one of the joys of it was working together as part of the team put together by
Snapdragon | London, which also included some of our favourite event people; Rhubarb Food and Wild At Heart.
27
Oct 2014
1,000-Year-Old Borough Market Celebrates Apple Day With ‘The Real Apple Store’
What do you get when you cross a green-grocer and a librarian? 1000 varieties of apples displayed in alphabetical order. Oh and a few cross-eyes.
We had lots of fun last month when we were asked by Teatime Productions to help them make an apple wall as part of Borough Market’s 1000th anniversary celebrations.
The market chose to co-ordinate their anniversary with Apple Day and created The Real Apple Store, an art installation modelled after a real Apple Store (the tech brand), that displayed 1,000 varieties of real British apples.
The installation allowed visitors to see and taste varieties of apples they may have never experienced before like the odd-looking Knobby Russet which thankfully tasted better than it looked as well as Court Pendu Plat—the world's oldest known apple.
To see the installation yourself have a look at this video released by Borough Market.
09
Sep 2014
Creating an intimate atmosphere for StudyWorld 2014 at London Hilton Metropole
Conference hotels are fantastic for providing dedicated event spaces for big numbers of delegates. However sometimes a conference hotel can need a bit of a lift so the look and feel is tailored to the event that’s being held so that it feels relevant. Décor, furniture, lighting and sound all play a vital role in creating an atmosphere that can lift a standard conference into one that shines.
StudyWorld London is a leading international student recruitment event, connecting professionals from different parts of the study travel industry. It brings together over 700 professionals from over 60 countries for a programme of talks and meetings across three days.
This year the Study World 2014 was held at the Hilton Metropole and we were asked by event agency Zest Events to help them create an inviting contemporary lounge bar vibe for informal welcome drinks for the guests and delegates.
The Hilton Metropole is a huge conference hotel and the large room chosen for the reception needed a whole makeover to provide a fun vibe to help guests relax and mingle whilst also retaining a smart and reflective appearance, in keeping with the Study World brand.
Stripes were chosen as the key design motif, specifically because the stripe forms a very strong visual marker, which stands out against existing décor and draws the eye towards the designed décor and not the existing hotel decoration. As a result the scenic built elements really stand out.
False walls in dynamic stripe formed the basis and back drops to the tiered seating areas, bar and stage.
The stripes were extended into the bespoke built giant lampshades suspended into the ceiling whilst event lighting was kept simple with profile spot lights and colourwashes.
Gold upholstered seating blocks and gold topped low tables provided chill out furniture. Poser tables were added with a specifically designed black, white and gold motif.
Finally the scene was sprinkled with vibrant bespoke made Logos in hot red to complete the scene.
If you'd like to get some more ideas about how to use stripes in design you can visit our Pinterest board about stripes here.
01
Jul 2014
To welcome Manchester United’s new manager Louis Van Gaal to the city,
Teatime Productions commissioned us to design and create a huge floral portrait for William Hill.
12’000 red, pink, purple and white tulips were shipped over especially from Van Gaal's native Holland; each arranged by our team to build a 18’ x 12’ composite of the Dutchman. The mural could be seen at the National Football Museum in Manchester.
01
May 2014
Prince Harry and friends all took to the stage at the Crystal Ball Gala dinner for a fundraising evening in aid of this inspirational charity.
Walking With The Wounded is a UK based charity which funds both the re-training and re-education of wounded servicemen and women with the aim of helping them find long term employment after they have left the Armed Forces. Organised by Zest Events and hosted by Ben Fogel, the evening’s silent auction had bidders donating princely (!) sums in aid of the charity. All were treated to a pre-dinner speech by Prince Harry and after dinner entertainment by The Stereophonics and Ellie Goulding.
Whilst we didn’t bid on a luxury cruise, we did provide the stage set, including a cut polystyrene WWTW logo, the lighting and the sound & video equipment.
14
Feb 2014
High Society: an art deco bar at Kent House Knightsbridge
To celebrate the successful 10 year partnership between
Kent House Knightsbridge and
Evolve Events, friends and associates were treated to a decadent night at the venue, with drinks served from our new bar.
Evolve Events invited a select group to attend this lavish celebration which also marked the launch of the Summer and Christmas 2014 package, ‘High Society’. Taking it’s style from the classic 1956 Hollywood film of the same name, a musical comedy starring Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly, the venue has been styled with the elegance and grandeur of the stately featured in the film.
Our bar and back-bar, designed specifically for the event, proved to be a real centre-piece. We adorned it with ornate white cornices, panels and elegant flourishes which were set against a duck egg blue background, an oval mirror and glass chandelier to give the room an intimate, stately feel.
Here’s to another successful 10 years working together. Click here to read more about the spectacular Christmas and Summer Packages at Kent House Knightsbridge.
01
May 2013
Lime greens, hot pinks and a host of other vibrant combinations went into making this family celebration a very colourful affair.
Apollo Event Consultants approached us to dress and furnish a marquee set in a rural market town, but with a bit of a difference; the inspiration to come from the recent colourful paintings by David Hockney. So, with a palette of bright pinks, blues, purples and greens, we had some fun.
As well as our striking draping and dressing we upholstered and painted our furniture to match, including a unique, boldly striped circular bar and broke up the main space with large pink ornate floral-cut panels.
An assortment of potted plants and flowers complimented the rural feel of the event and surroundings and were later planted into the garden outside.
13
Jan 2013
Bobs, bangs, curls and quiffs were all on show at Goldwell’s Colourzoom Hair Awards at the end of last year. Here’s some of the, er, highlights.
The concept for the event, organised by Amy Dowding at ADH Creative, centred around the word ‘Beautify’, Goldwell’s buzzword for the current season. The idea is to transform the ordinary and urban with colour and adornment, a concept which we enjoyed applying to the venue. So concrete surfaces were embellished with coloured and patterned tape and sugary pastel tyre tracks. Knitted surfaces contrasted with smooth concrete, and Yan Skate’s lavish, dazzling flower displays were set against muted, minimalist backgrounds. We even transformed two ordinary painters ladders, embellished with potted floral arrangements, into a quirky drinks bar.
Our stylish, minimalist furnishings were carefully upholstered in subtle colours and textures to further contrast against the adornments. And our stage set was similarly designed, the products logos and subtle lighting being the only touch, allowing the finalist’s hairstyles to shine.
01
Jul 2012
The marriage of Elle and Michael took us out of London and into the beautiful Norfolk countryside. The surroundings played a key role in our design, allowing us to keep things simple, elegant and very, very romantic.
Set in the middle of a Norfolk field, this was a wedding which had a very rural, sylvan heart. A transparent structure, supplied by Berry Marquees, brought the blue sky, clouds, wild grasses and trees into our chic, stylish interior.
Apart from being a colour befitting for a wedding, the white scheme allowed the natural, subtle colours from outside to stand out, but also enabled us to completely change the atmosphere with our lighting when the sun went down. So, delicate and romantic became vibrant and dramatic; illuminating the dancefloor, stage, the exterior of the marquee and surroundings. Our elegant arches on the exterior walls framed the contrasting, changing light when looking inside as well as out.
In the marquee, we created three separate areas for the dinner, bar / lounge and nightclub, all draped elegantly in white voile. The guests dined at our specially crafted laminated long tables, took drinks at our mirrored shard bar and relaxed on our chic seating areas.
01
Apr 2012
Wake up and smell - see, feel, hear and taste - the coffee.
The aptly named
Teatime Productions, approached us to dress and furnish the press and public launch of Carte Noire’s Instinct; a new wholebean instant coffee.
Hill and Knowlton Strategies, a specialist in brand communications, and Teatime Productions had devised a multi-sensory coffee tasting experience at One Marylebone, which brought together colour, texture, aroma, sound and perfect serve to create the perfect coffee moment. For this, we created twelve tasting pods incorporating the clients branding in our silky drapes, upholstery fabric, furniture and atmospheric lighting. Into which, light and sound integrated with the tasting to create a rich, sensual experience. The event was fully branded with framed ad prints, vinyl lettering and ornately framed canvases whilst drinks were served from our elegant mirror bar.
01
Oct 2011
It’s with great pride and excitement that we’ve been made a preferred supplier to a venue in the heart of one of London’s most iconic and treasured buildings.
As well as using Battersea Power Station’s architecture and grounds to imaginative use, Industri Management have created The Boiler House; a unique, partly transparent structure that has become the home to a diverse range of events such as concerts, fund raisers, film launches and after parties.
Industri represent many of the most dramatic and original venue locations in London which unsurprisingly get used in alot of film and tv work. So although it’s unlikely we’ll be rubbing shoulder’s with Hollywood royalty, it’s great to be involved in a space such as this - it’s spectacular setting an inspiring canvas for our work. We’re thrilled to be joining the team and to be playing a part in supplying London with a different kind of energy.
30
Sep 2011
One design, two very different scales. Recreating Team GB’s logo for the British Olympic Ball had our CNC machine working overtime.
Filling the cavernous interior of Kensington Olympia Grand Hall with a stage set and supplying its many tables with centre pieces was always going to require an Olympian effort. Fireball, who manage the British Olympic Ball, handed us the task. Using Team GB’s striking logo, incorporated it’s design into both and got busy.
Our CNC machine cut two giant replicas of the logo, covered in a stunning glitter Jazz fabric, to stand either end of the stage. And on a smaller scale, but just as big a task, it cut over a hundred gold laminated table centres and created glitter encrusted carpet to welcome the guests.
The end result was a very simple but effective design which lent the event with a strong identity and impressive scale - a perfect match for our Olympians.
09
Sep 2011
Studyworld, the leading international student recruitment forum, invited
Zest Events, and ourselves to freshen up their annual conference, so we donned our thinking caps and handed this in.
Studyworld is a fantastic forum to recruit foreign students and their annual event a focal point for the industry. To liven up the old format and attract more people, this years event required a little extra pizazz. Gold and cream covered chill-out furniture, poseur tables, a bar and stage set worked to complement the decor at the Hilton Metropole. It also lent the event interior a classy, opulent feel, and allowed our gorgeous lighting design to reflect off each surface. A+ Well Done!
01
Sep 2011
It's time to take a stand
Having had years of practise at making exhibition stands for others, it was great to finally have one ourselves at RSVP recently.
With so many stands trying to catch the eye, it presents a challenge to produce something that stands out from the rest. You could go all bells and whistles, but we decided to let the products do the talking and created something understated, yet bold and stylish.
We met some really nice people, one of which won lunch at the 40/30 restaurant (sorry if it wasn’t you), had some great feedback, made some good contacts, and had two enjoyable and productive days. But we’ll be glad not to see another belly dancer or Sven-alike for a while yet.
01
Mar 2011
Not us, but our esteemed friends over at
Chillisauce, who won Creative Event of the Year for the launch of Hyundai’s ix35. But we did play a supporting role.
We were approached by Chillisauce to help transform a Travelodge into a boutique hotel, appropriately themed to launch the new car, hold a dinner and accommodate the automobile loving press. This included building giant Hyundai logo lanterns, inspired lighting to various rooms, providing furniture and transforming each bedroom with tasteful furnishings and bespoke wall graphics.
So, a round of applause for Chillisauce! We look forward to a teary acceptance speech.
01
Aug 2010
Goldwell/KMS fashion show
We like to think that all our events are hair raising experiences, but thanks to
ADH Creative, and a lot of hairspray, this one literally was.
Inspired by their latest seasonal look, we designed and built this curvy set for leading hair product manufacturers Goldwell/KMS’s fashion show.
A lively event was compiled using the usual elements: dramatic lighting, cool music, flutter fetti, buff nude men bursting through paper panels onto the stage. The latter of which delighted the 500 hairdresser guests; well, the vast majority of them. The show was rounded off by a performance by Oli Murrs.
