02. Madewell Flagship Store Opening Event
Contribution: Creative Direction & Development, Design Direction, Event Strategy
Madewell approached CNC Agency to build an event around the opening weekend of their new flagship store location in New York. With years of fashion brand experience under my belt, CNC knew I’d be the right person for the job. We created an elevated shopping experience to highlight Madewell’s new store opening on 5th Avenue, creating buzz and driving traffic to the new upscale Denim Atelier—ultimately leading to an event expansion, spanning multiple cities.
The Pitch
Welcome to the Madewell Gallery, where style is an art form. Madewell reopens their 5th Avenue store as a space where style and art come together to create a unique shopping experience that feels just like a private gallery opening in Chelsea—complete with custom pieces of art made from Madewell product. Whether you’re choosing artwork for your custom denim at the Atelier, or shopping for your next work of art—we know you’ll arrive inspired and leave a collector.
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Design Direction: We leaned into a blue pulled from Madewell’s iconic denim across all signage and merch throughout the activation. All hospitality elements — even down to the embroidery station pins — followed Madewell’s signature modern, elevated, and minimal style.
- Activation Touchpoints: Enjoy a unique Boba Guys x Madewell drink and a custom denim cookie while you wait to enter the newly renovated store. Once you get inside, head to the Denim Atelier and start shopping. There you’ll find an ultra special collab featuring limited edition Juliet Johnstone hand painted denim. Once you’ve checked out, you’ll get your free gift bag with custom Madewell merch. Head over to the Denim Atilier to choose a design to get embroidered or rhinestoned. Don’t forget to grab a slice of cake and a bouquet from the flower station on your way out the door. This weekend is filled with tons of social-worthy stops you won’t want to miss.
We crafted an unforgettable event, bringing together some of the coolest vendors to make noise around the new store, leading to huge traffic numbers and email captures at the register. Madewell expanded their partnership with CNC, adding on a multi-city experience that replicated this format in 5 cities throughout the fall season.