The Strand Arcade opened its doors to customers for a special evening to launch the Spring/Summer 2015 season and explore the intriguing concept of duality.
This year’s 15 year anniversary of the Evening With Our Designers event celebrated the pairing of complimentary sets of skills and the fusion of artistic minds, offering one-night-only customised experiences with the unique designer couples and artisans of the Strand Arcade.
Award winning musical duo Say Lou Lou, twins Miranda and Elektra Kilbey, brought this concept of duality to life as the faces of Evening With Our Designers 2015 and curators of the S/S15 issue of the Strand’s in house publication 1891.
The evening was captivated by dualism, with a Gentleman’s Hub anchored by The Balvenie Whisky Bar complimented by a Ladies Lounge serving celebratory Solerno Fizz Cocktails. DJ Duo Leah Simmons was on the decks whilst up and coming Sydney based muso Lisa Caruso performed a stunning pair of her latest songs.
The Strand Arcade counts a number of creative duos amongst its retailers, with fascinatingly diverse results arising from the talented pairings. Creative identities forged and defined by two equal parts on the night included:
– Aje designers Edwina Robinson and Adrian Norris, who were in store talking customers though the new collection, with shoppers receiving a special gift with any full priced purchase on the night.
– Louise Olsen and Simon Ormondy of Dinosaur Designs, who were offering a complimentary Beetleshell Bangle valued at $85 when customers spent $150 or more.
– Mister Mister, whose collaboration with Creative Director Cesar Cueva from Courtesy of the Artist resulted in an exclusive range of men’s jewellery titled “Earn Your Stripes”.
– Lisa Dempsey and Jacqueline Hunt of luxury knitwear label Jac+ Jack, who were hosting Cashmere raffles throughout the evening, with results drawn at 6pm, 7pm & 8pm.
– Designer Kit Willow, who marked her triumphant return to design by teaming up with cult women’s retailer The Corner Shop to present her new label KITX in store.
To finish the evening, VIP guests were hosted in an exclusive concert space created solely for the night and were treated to an extremely special performance from Say Lou Lou in their first ever Australian performance.
by Arrnott Olssen
Editor Rogue Homme
