Project Spotlight: L.L.Bean

The L.L. Bean Company, founded in 1912, has long been inspiring people to live life outdoors.  So when they decided it was time to give their corporate headquarters in Freeport, Maine a fresh new look it’s not surprising they chose several striking adventurous landscape images.  But at the core of their corporate art they choose a large space in their atrium to highlight the best-selling products of their company.   From their Ultralight 850 Down Jacket to their Sweater Fleece, the visual is as impressive as it is large at 9 feet wide and 11 feet tall.  The true impact is when the image is changed  every two weeks to excite their employees again and again.    

Project Details: Profile 26 Matrix Frame aluminum extrusion system with silicone edge fabric graphics (SEG) printed by dye sublimation on their exclusive Decotex fabric. Installation and graphic change outs by XP Retail. 

Project Spotlight: SENE Studio

SENE Studio is a design-focused collection of truly custom-tailored goods built from scratch to fit you. Their collections are modern, functional, and offer fresh and sustainable alternatives to mass-produced clothes. SENE, originally based in New York City, reached out to XP Retail to work on their expansion to the West Coast. 

With two lightboxes, we completed their vision for an ultramodern space in their very first Los Angeles location. The first lightbox created a bold statement as customers walked into the showroom while the second helped pull your attention through the store and effortlessly transition into their corporate offices. 

The fabric change outs work perfectly with the SENE brand because it gives them the flexibility to change graphics with each season and helps them continue to showcase another unique application of fabric.

Project Details: 
Profile 120 Matrix Frame aluminum extrusion system with silicone edge fabric graphics (SEG) printed by dye sublimation on their exclusive Luxx fabric. XP Retail worked with SENE’s contractor to build a lightbox that could fit within a custom made, rotating swivel system, in order for it to be converted into a multi-functional door. The lightboxes also utilized LED’s that can remain on continuously without generating heat.  Frame and graphic installation by XP Retail.  

For more information about SENE Studio go to https://senestudio.com to learn more! 
 

Project Spotlight: Bonita Pina

On an extended family trip to Guatemala the Timmerman family found inspiration. They were not only inspired by the vibrant colors, fabrics, and style of the Mayan culture, but by the wonderful women there.  They built a relationship and provided design insights, to help the Guatemalan artisans showcase their traditional skills and techniques to create a one-of-a-kind accessory, the Bonita Band!

In addition to Bonita Bands, Bonita Piña also offers handmade, fashionable accessories from all over the world, like intricately beaded Mostacilla earrings or winter socks made from Alpaca wool. Bringing these products to the US creates income-generating opportunities for craftspeople in developing countries, while also allowing you to glimpse the exotic culture and rich history of the product's origin.

The Challenge: Now that Bonita Pina had a beautiful line of products they wanted to gain attention not only to their product’s beauty but to the wonderful artisans and their families in which lives are helped by supporting Bonita Pina. 

Project Details:  In addition to the beautiful booth that Bonita designed, a freestanding Matrix Frame Profile 200 Light Box with dye sublimation silicone edge fabric graphics (SEG) was added. This beautiful light box achieved a way to draw attention to not only their products, but their mission.

To learn more about Bonita Pina please visit: www.bonitapina.com

Project Spotlight: TAG Heuer Announces Bella Hadid as Ambassador

XP Retail was happy to have our Matrix Frame products as part of TAG Heuer's latest Ambassador Announcement! XP Retail supplied both the graphics and Matrix Frames for the step and repeat background for the event.

Here's the full scoop on TAG's exciting announcement:

Manhattan, New York, 13 February 2017 - Does Bella Hadid really need any introduction? Last year was a banner year for the young American top model who, from tomorrow, will be the new female face of luxury Swiss watch brand TAG Heuer.

Voted "Model of the Year" in December 2016, this fashion icon had the fastest growing fan-base of followers on social media networks in 2016; now a rising star in the world of fashion, she is handling the demands of her extraordinary lifestyle and stratospheric fame with poise and maturity. She knows exactly what she wants, what she likes, and what she wants to achieve.

At the tender age of 20, beautiful Bella has chosen to work with TAG Heuer; this is not just an opportunity for the luxury Swiss watch brand to welcome a fresh, young face, but also for the model to collaborate on projects which relate directly to one of her favourite hobbies: photography.

With 10 million followers on social media, she has learnt how to express herself through images, sometimes light and subtle, sometimes profound and mysterious, but always with a clear artistic sense which is deeply personal. She speaks the language of the Millennials, the generation with whom the Swiss watch brand is currently reconnecting, driven by its CEO Jean-Claude Biver, also Chairman of the Watch Division of LVMH Group.

At the event, Jean-Claude Biver said: "I am delighted to welcome Bella into the family of TAG Heuer ambassadors. Having Bella on the team enables me to reconnect TAG Heuer with the Millennials and young generations, and also with the brand's avant-garde spirit, the spirit which drives us to do things differently, to innovate and to dare. The TAG Heuer family has a real team spirit. We need someone like Bella to help us capture the bold and confident spirit of young people today. Thank you for joining us, Bella, welcome to the team!"

Cass Bird added: “Bella is one of my all time favorite women! Beautiful and completely present; one of my dream subjects and a total muse for me. She makes everyone feel welcome on set. Hands down one of the best in the industry! " The venue for the event – Equinox Bond Street, the trendsetting fitness club used during New York Fashion Week – was also a fine choice: the pretty blue-eyed brunette confidently showed off her perfect body, right at home in the gym! TAG Heuer's #DontCrackUnderPressure tagline fits her perfectly.

Project Spotlight: Belk Stage Backdrop

This February Belk, is gathering all of their managers for their seasonal meeting at the Charlotte Convention Center. XP Retail was given the task to produce the grand backdrop for the main stage. The custom backdrop measured 32 feet wide and a towering 23.5 feet tall, and has six windows with supports to hold six styled mannequins. The contrast between the pink wall and the white and blue outfits fit a Belk themed event perfectly.

Project Details: Matrix Frame Profile 120, shadow box profile and support bar aluminum extrusions were used to construct the frame. The frame was first test built in the Matrix Frame warehouse before being broken down and re-constructed onsite. Once the XP Retail crew had assembled the frame in the Convention Ballroom, the printed graphic was installed and shadow box profile was used to finish off the front of the windows. It took a crew of 12 people to lift the frame onto the stage and connect it to the stage rigging where it was elevated into place. With the frame standing in place, additional supports and a blockout backer was added. Finally, window openings were trimmed and support brackets were installed to allow the mannequins to be set in place revealing the full effect of the display.