Hidden Gems Marketplace

The Brief

As Aerie approached the next benchmark of its #AerieREAL mission for Fall 2023, the brand tasked SHADOW with developing an IRL moment that would bring together its community and align Aerie with like-minded brands, while also highlighting its fall collection and intimates business. It was from this mandate that the Aerie Hidden Gems Marketplace was born.

Together with Aerie, we curated an entire city’s worth of hidden gems - the small brands and businesses that make NYC sparkle - for a pop-up marketplace in the Meatpacking District. The result was a one-day-only, one-stop-shop featuring the city’s most joy-inducing treasures for all to discover and celebrate.

How we did it

We selected our “hidden gem” vendors based on their shared missions to inspire positivity, community and confidence. With our vendor list secured, we moved onto location, choosing the iconic Gansevoort Plaza in NYC’s Meatpacking District for its ample foot traffic and ideal footprint for production needs, which included:

CUSTOM FABRICATION OF VENDOR BOOTHS for our brand partners: Brooklyn Blooms, Inked by Dani, Kobrick Coffee Co., Mikey Likes It Ice Cream, Palace One Eleven, Popup Bagels, Schmackary's, Sunday Forever, Sun Bum, and Tom’s Perfect 10.

AERIE TRY-ON BRA CLOSET with six fitting rooms to highlight the brand’s fall collection with on-site bra specialists.

A “BREAK-UP WITH YOUR BRA” BIN, which tied a charitable moment into the activation by giving market-goers the opportunity to donate a used bra.

A NUMBER OF INTERACTIVE ELEMENTS including a prize wheel and a DJ booth-turned-newspaper stand.

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August

2023