JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE LABEL: LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION

At this Lunar New Year party, we celebrated the release of the limited edition Johnnie Walker Blue Label Year of the Rabbit alongside some of Toronto’s hottest influencers. Inspired by the colourful worlds of fashion designer Angel Chen, who designed the bottle art, we immersed guests in a highly stylized celebration that engaged all the senses and was rich with shareable moments. Under the direction of Middle Child PR, we designed, planned, and produced this spectacular event to honour vibrant Chinese culture, art, and food, with every aspect driven by actual Lunar New Year traditions.

The HOLT RENFREW Fashion Show

The fashion show, presented by Holt Renfrew, was designed as a series of vignettes in the centre of the room, with each model on an individual red platform, surrounded by plinths styled with bottles of Johnnie Walker Blue Label, gold rabbit statues modelled on Angel Chen’s designs, and unruly florals. The dining tables flanked the runway of the still life fashion show while the Holt Renfrew presenter described each look. Lighting was dark and moody with spot lights used to highlight key branding moments like the Johnnie Walker x Holt Renfrew logo at the top of the runway, as well as to expose each model as their look was presented.

The CHINESE DRAGON DANCERS

To start the fashion show with a bang, Chinese Dragon dancers danced down the runway performing to a live, high energy, traditional dance - a playful, fun and a celebratory way to bring in the Lunar New Year.

CUSTOM hand-made STATUES TO CELEBRATE THE YEAR OF THE RABBIT

Inspired by the illustrations of leaping gold rabbits on the Angel Chen bottle designs, we fabricated these playful and expressive rabbit statues. Some held props like clementines, gift boxes and red envelopes to bring a storytelling aspect into the celebration- all traditional gifts presented on Lunar New Year. Their presence added a fantastical look to the evening, like being in a wild Lunar New Year garden.

THE layered and LUSCIOUS red, blue and gold TABLESCAPE

We replaced traditional runway seating with dining tables, so guests could continue to enjoy their scotch whisky cocktails while watching the show. We chose serpentine tables to give movement to the still life fashion show, and in order to properly view the runway, placed guests on only one side of the table, making plenty of room for the oversized and oversaturated floral centrepieces. Blue china plates, gold flatware, and sparkling crystal glassware created a glittering and elevated look. Menus were custom designed with Angel Chen artwork and letter-pressed with gold foil. We styled the table with citrus fruits, symbolizing good fortune. Working with Shangri-La Toronto’s in-house caterers, a multi-course tasting menu of bite-sized Chinese inspired foods was crafted, allowing the catering team to get super imaginative with how these traditional foods were presented. And of course, Johnnie Walker Blue Label whisky-inspired cocktails were served throughout the night!

tHE branded BAR and signature johnnie walker cocktails

For this event, Johnnie Walker Blue Label had crafted three mouthwatering cocktails, enjoyed through a guided tasting, so needless to say, the bar was of paramount importance. To mirror the look of the Angel Chen labels and align with the aesthetic of the runway backdrop, we covered the bar with the bottle artwork and added additional branded arched panels. Styled with stocks of Johnnie Walker Blue Label, a particularly alert gold rabbit statue, and stunning florals, the bar was certainly not an afterthought.

BOLD signage for new year photo moments

We created a large stunning installation for the end of the runway, doubling as a photo opp for guests. The arched panels were vinyled with Angel Chen artwork, completed with Johnnie Walker and Holt Renfrew logos, and styled with black cage pillars of varying heights draped in sprawling florals and gold fans. With over 50 red Chinese lanterns suspended above, this event backdrop was truly unique and a testament to the creativity with which we approach our events.

Capturing authentic MEMORIES Through BRANDED experiences

When we develop the concept for a new event, we put all of our creative thought into identifying what entertainment will create an authentic experience. The last thing we want for our clients is an event that feels contrived and overly corporate. We listen very closely to our clients to understand their event’s purpose and its goals, so that we can plan something perfectly suited to the guests that are attending. If you are planning your own event, please reach out! We’d love to hear from you!