In early September, Lancôme launched the Lancôme ExtraÔrdinary Spaces project, inviting the public to stroll through the semi-permanent installations created by our team on the 7th floor of Hudson’s Bay in downtown Toronto. Mélanie Vaugeois, co-founder and artistic director of Diverso Productions, talks about the artistic conception and production of these immersive pop-up spaces.
How did Les Productions Diverso come to bid on this project?
Over the years, Diverso has carried out several mandates for L’Oréal and the group’s various brands. As an accredited agency, we were therefore able to participate in the tender for this ambitious and inspiring project.
How did you go about budgeting for such a project?
Production deadlines were tight. We therefore had to focus on the artistic aspect, while at the same time having a clear idea of the order of magnitude of the bids on offer. To dress a space of around 4,000 square feet, we had no choice but to have clear budget guidelines… Adding a portion of wall or ceiling could make a big difference!
Who did you surround yourself with to create all these spaces in such a short space of time??
I immediately thought of involving my designer friend Lysanne Pepin, with whom I shared the art direction. Our worlds and ways of working are different, but very complementary.
What have been your biggest challenges?
We had to juggle very tight deadlines, while being forced to get our proposals approved at different levels and manage deliveries from all over America. The process was often long and stressful! Approval of the 3D plans by Lancôme and Hudson’s Bay Company took a long time, and we had to make sure we had enough leeway to produce and guarantee the finish of the elements making up the different universes. We also had to deal with a number of restrictions in terms of how the space could be dressed up, which required a great deal of creativity. We had to keep in mind that we were building immersive pop-up spaces that would allow future visitors to immerse themselves as subtly as possible in the world of the Lancôme brand.
How did you go about integrating the Lancôme universe into the various pop-ups?
We’ve read a lot about the brand. Lancôme dates back to 1935, so its history is rich and its products iconic! We studied its aesthetics and overall positioning. However, the client had given us very precise lines to respect for each space. That was our starting point. Then we took a step back… We had to imagine a fluid itinerary representing a journey through the Lancôme universe. The spaces had to subtly convey the essence of the La vie est belle, Absolu Rouge, Idôle and Génifique products. Our goal was for visitors not to feel they were in a store, but rather in a space of exploration. A magical place where the beauty of the people stands out as much as the values conveyed by the products. The Idôle fragrance, for example, is an ode to femininity, in the sense of
Can you give some specific examples of how branding has been integrated into scenographic elements?
We put a lot of thought into how best to integrate the brand’s distinctive elements into our different spaces. The LEDs on the bubble chair, for example, recall the Lancôme “ô”. The Idôle bottle inspired the Instagram box, while the tunnel took the shape of the Génifique bottle.
