Rather than thinking of The Lake & Stars temporary store as a pop-up or an installation, we thought of it as a store within a store. We used the existing space to insert a store that amplifies one of the most basic mechanisms of retail, optics. The garments are displayed in a way that allows visitors to view specific details of the construction and form. The level of detail in the garments is amplified and/or multiplied through a custom built kaleidoscopic view cones. The view cones are covered in a matte black tactile material that is soft to touch and absorbs any extra light, preferencing the vibrancy inside the viewing cones. The inside of the store is completely clad in a white glossy surface so it receives as much light from the viewing cones as possible. We worked with Focus Lighting to shine focused light through the viewing cones to provide a multi-colored kaleidoscopic light in the space.

As viewers move around outside the store and look through the viewing cones they block the focused light causing the interior of the store to constantly shift in color and light. We subverted the natural tendency of the window display by only showing glimpses of the piece and using the curiosity of visitors to activate the space. We are building a human scale kaleidoscope of light and color that changes based on how people move through the space. Rather than explicitly designing a color palette are specific form, we designed an apparatus that reframes and peaks interest in the details of the garments before they are fully seen. The typical display has been slowed down for an experience that is much more about mystery, discovery, and surprise.