Cyril Lancelin Converts Coach’s Tabby Bag Into Interactive Installation
A giant inflatable installation inspired by Coach’s plushy Pillow Tabby bag is taking over London’s Soho Square from Thursday to Sunday.
Designed by French artist Cyril Lancelin, the soft pink pillow-like installation, called “Coach Pillow Experience,” also comes with an augmented reality treasure hunt.
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No bags will be physically shoppable on-site, but there will be QR codes around the structure that will direct visitors to Coach’s e-commerce site to complete the purchase.
Stuart Vevers, creative director of Coach, said Pillow Tabby was originally designed as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as it represents “a desire for comfort, touch and affection.”
“The experience we created with Cyril builds on this story, inviting clients into a soft, playful world inspired by our Pillow Tabby,” he added.
Speaking to WWD, Lancelin said he enjoyed working on the project, which is his first foray into fashion retail, as he found a lot of similarities between the bag and his signature inflatable structures that are made with curves, arches and spheres.
“The soft and embracing nature of the Pillow Tabby served as inspiration for the structure, its intertwining shapes a comforting escape from the outside world. The work needs to be playful and bring the visitors somewhere different. What’s important is that it’s not an artwork you look at. It’s an artwork you see people interacting with,” he added.
After London, the immersive structure will appear in Berlin and Dubai next month.
Lancelin believes that his smooth teamwork with Coach on the project may lead to more collaborations in the near future.
“I think there’s a lot of value in common between me and the brand. We both appreciate very classical things but at the same time, we are very innovative,” he said.
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