Hermes at Harbin Shangri-La Hotel — Hermès A/W 2013 Footwear Launch (2013)

The Harbin hotel's ballroom was rebuilt as a snowfield set for the autumn/winter 2013 Hermès footwear presentation.

The venue

The Harbin Shangri-La Hotel is a city-centre business hotel whose banquet floors host conferences, corporate receptions and brand dinners. Its ballroom provides a large indoor floor plate with a stage end and back-of-house access for set delivery, which is what a full scenic build requires. A second presentation of the same collection took place at Wuhan's Qintai Grand Theatre, an arts venue.

How the space was used

Inside the ballroom, the floor was dressed as a ski slope: a snow-toned ground surface, sloped scenic elements and winter staging carried the autumn/winter campaign imagery into three dimensions. Footwear was displayed within the snowfield rather than on standard tables, so guests moved through the set along a guided route, viewing product at points embedded in the landscape.

Why it works here

Hotel ballrooms suit seasonal press launches because they are enclosed, serviced and controllable: lighting, temperature and delivery access are already in place, and a full scenic build can replace the room's neutral character. Guests arrive for a seated presentation and leave through the built environment, keeping attention on the product.