camden collective Archives -

How curation is changing the way commercial property works

At We Are Pop Up HQ we’ve been talking a lot about curation recently. Our most popular spaces – the ones opening their doors consistently to the brilliant projects listed on We Are Pop Up – are proving there is a new model for short-term use of space. It’s making a killing. At the heart of most of these projects are entrepreneurs – stand out individuals with real vision.

Often inspired by financial requirements, some inspirational space managers are starting to intensify their use of space and shift their focus from selling space to selling time in space. This is bringing a new set of capabilities into commercial property and has made room for a new role: that of programmer – or curator. We love the idea that the answer to many commercial property problems lie in the creative, flexible and collaborative.

These forward-thinking space curators are proving that space can be re-conceived as a platform in itself. Suddenly, spaces are able to host multiple projects simultaneously, transition quickly and constantly re-invent themselves. The history of a shop is now shaping so quickly that even the most agile data companies have no factual data on what occurs month-to-month. This is a brand new concern, thanks to the pace and innovative power of today’s businesses. Pop-up is breaking things.

As a result our community of projects can access bigger and better spaces, in bigger and better locations. Previously inaccessible units, spaces that were too large or too expensive, are finally becoming porous.

This month we support the launch of Camden Town Unlimited’s new space: Collective 159 on Camden High Street. 3,000 square feet which intends to host dozens of projects per month, simultaneously. We are helping place tenants in a new, massive and sharable retail space on Shoreditch High Street. The economics and capabilities of short-term commercial space are changing quickly, writing entirely unique stories for uses of space. We are watching it all happen, and looking forward to capturing as many of these stories as we can.

– Clara Maguire

At We Are Pop Up, Clara helps commercial space managers connect with a community of unique brands and businesses.

5 Questions with Designer Jumble Sale – Pop Up Shop Interview

What is your pop-up history to date? Where have you been and how long have you been in operation?

I began hosting one-day charity sales during London Fashion Week, popping up at a stunning Edwardian Gothic church in Marble Arch, called The Church of the Annunciation, while at home with two small children. I had worked at VOGUE.com for 12 years, so I asked all my old friends to donate their fashion cast-offs and the British Fashion Council very kindly put us on the London Fashion Week events schedule. I wanted to go back to work once my children had both started school, so I decided to launch a profit-making arm of the business, so that I could also continue to run the charity sales every six months. With my brother’s help, I won my first rent-free popup shop in December 2012, in a competition run by retail agent Farebrother, on Lambs Conduit Street. What a fantastic launchpad! We were lucky enough to be there for 5 months. Next we are taking part in a community project in Willesden Green from 30 May… and then on to Camden.

Why pop up?

I want to communicate a message about the longevity of good craftsmanship, ethical fashion and sustainability in a fun and friendly environment – and rather than expecting customers to come to me, I want to go to them! We aim to pop up in new places every 3 months.

Why did you decide to enter the Collective Competition?

It was a no-brainer: Camden is a great fit for our offering – think Camden, think secondhand clothes; it is a very vibrant street; and Camden Collective and WeArePopup are very good at what they do.

What can people expect to find in the Collective shop during your spot?

The Designer Jumble Sale is a collection of high quality secondhand clothes and accessories, curated by a member of the fashion industry (ahem… *blush*… me). Brands include classics like Schiaparelli, YSL, and Dior, alongside Best-of-British brands like Rupert Sanderson, Bill Amberg, MCQueen and Terry de Havilland. Adam Hill of Retrouvius will be loaning us some fantastic salvaged furniture and Tamsin Flower of beldirugs.com will be showcasing her beautiful vintage Moroccan carpets, too. No neophiles here, folks.

How would you incorporate 300 bananas, 5 tons of golden syrup, and 2 peacocks into a future pop up?

I would commission Hussein Chalayan, Stephen Jones and Jean-Pierre Braganza to help me make something deliciously sculptural out of crystalised syrup and feathers. The bananas would be required for energy. It is part of the Designer Jumble Sale message: a LOT of work goes into these pieces.

5 Questions with Agnes & Lola – Pop Up Shop Interview

What is your pop-up history to date? Ex. Where have you been and how long have you been in operation?

This is our first physical pop-up event. Prior to this, we have been exclusively online.

Why pop up?

It is an opportunity to meet our customers in person and also to introduce our unique collection to a new audience. Face-to-face interaction generates a different closeness with the customer that is not always possible online.

Why did you decide to enter the Collective Competition?

Firstly, the area was perfect as we love Camden. I remember going to Camden when I was younger, and getting some vibrant t-shirts and vintage garb. It is one of those areas that encourages individual, off-beat design and has never lost its unique atmosphere, be it the vintage stores or the art print stores. We felt that it would be ideal for our first pop-up store as our styles are unique and fit into the overall vibe of the area.

What can people expect to find in the Collective shop during your spot?

They can expect a variety of fashion options that they will not be able to get elsewhere…for the men, we have print shirts with tapestry dog motifs and the most awesome print swimming trunks. Whilst for the women, we have hand-painted patch bra-tops and skirts which were inspired by the graffiti artist Mr Brainwash and hand-beaded 20’s style Ankara dresses with a leather flared hem, to name a few!

How would you incorporate 300 bananas, 5 tons of golden syrup, and 2 peacocks into a future pop up?

It would have to be used in an outdoor pop-up event inspired by the fashion of Josephine Baker and Carmen Miranda. The bananas will help recreate the famous banana skirt worn by Josephine Baker and some of Carmen Miranda’s hats which can be worn by hosts and gifted to guests. Of course, I’ll need more ingredients to make them but the bananas are a good start. For the syrup, I think it would come in useful for making some experimental cocktails and ice-cream dessert sauces to serve around! As we’re outdoors, the peacocks will be free to do what they do best and roam about, proudly displaying their feathers. Maybe we could have a photo booth so guests can take photos with the peacock…that would be quite tricky to manage though.

Pop Up Shop Interview: 5 Questions with Pop Up Ping Pong

What is your pop-up history to date?

Pop Up Ping Pong has been in operation since the beginning of this year plotting our first pop up. Our launch event had such a great turnout with a classic American frat party vibe, people just turned out in their masses and made the most of what we had – Ping Pong tables, cheap booze, awesome street food burgers by #BRGR (www.hashtagbrgr.com) and shaped the party as much as we did to make it happen. So at one point we had people asking if they could put together some tables so they can set up a Beer Pong match, without knowing too much about the rules or the consequences we rustled up whatever we had in storage and put out a make shift table and watched the ants take over the ant hill! We’ve incorporated Beer Pong ever since as testament to our first customers and you can come to any of our pop ups now and see hulking crowds teeming over our dedicated tables complete with regulation markings. So that’s how the story goes, and we’ve been popping up and at ‘em ever since!

Why pop up?

*Rolls sleeves up* Pop Up is the way of the future. As I heard Daniel Young (www.youngandfoodish.com) pop up entrepreneur once say, and I quote, ‘pop up restaurants are restaurants with no walls’. This applies to any pop up business or art. We are obliged never to settle and always aspire to create a new experience for our customers. This agenda is simply dictated by the economics of having ‘no walls’. As a pop up you’re not burdened with the overheads of rents, gas, electricity, wages, but for the period in which you use your space. You are only committed to use your space as long as you wish and this gives us the freedom to create. It almost forces you to be artistic and ‘things to do’ in London are better for it!

Why did you decide to enter the Collective Competition?

This may sound a little evangelical but we thought with a high street location we could really do something special for that part of Camden High Street. We’ve spoken a little about this at Pop Up Ping Pong and we’ve always loved the idea of Camden. It’s a hotchpotch of what’s trendy and cool and there’s always something a little bit romantic about that. Problem is it’s not always been that accessible for the rest of us! Koko has been a shining beacon on one end of the high street in that respect. They always have something good on that you can see with friends or on a date but somewhere along the middle of the high street the buzz dwindles and we think we can add to it with a bit of sparkle. People often meet for the first time over a game of ping pong at our events and that’s quirky but we like it!

What can people expect to find in the Collective shop during your spot?

The PUPP Shack is a boutique-style ping-pong pop-up parlour featuring one Olympic-sized table combined with a street food diner offering dainty and delicious sliders by mini burger purveyors #BRGR. They use the finest ingredients, with their golden brioche buns sourced from Miller’s of Wimbledon and their grass-fed beef from The Ginger Pig butchers. A drinks bar will also be featured, with the legendary PUPP beer pong table (complete with regulation size and cup markings) making a stalwart appearance alongside it. Throughout the course of the four-day pop-up, expect events ranging from sporting competitions with prizes to ping-pong masterclasses and more.

How would you incorporate 300 bananas, 5 tons of golden syrup and 2 peacocks into a future pop up?

It would be a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory/Great Gatsby themed extravaganza no doubt!

Pop up shop interview: 5 Questions with Atomica Gallery

Atomica Gallery is the first of four pop-up experiences coming to Camden High Street for the month of June. Winners of the Camden Collective Pop Up Shop competition, Atomica Gallery owners Holly Lander and Orla Bennett have shared their ideas about Pop-ups, Camden High Street and life as a pop-up with us!

^{What is your pop-up history to date? Ex. Where have you been and how long have you been in operation?}

From the get-go Atomica was always planning to be a permanent gallery and shop, but as the idea started to take shape it made sense to do some sort of test trading to see if people would like the concept and the artists we planned on showing, so we launched Atomica as a three week pop-up in December 2012. The pop-up was alot of fun and gave us the confidence and collateral to open up our new permanent space which is located Hackney. Atomica pop-ups are still on the horizon though – we are very excited about our week in Camden at The Camden Collective and we would like to do more around London this year and possibly in other parts of the UK. Maybe even one in America in the next few years!

^{Why pop up?}

Its a great way to expose what you are doing and get a feel for different audiences.

^{Why did you decide to enter the Collective Competition?}

We love Camden, we grew up going to gigs and and spent alot of our teenage years hanging out there. When we heard about the competition we jumped at the opportunity to do our second Atomica pop-up there. It is great opportunity to be part of one of our favorite parts of town and having the chance at a rent free space for a week on a busy high street is something we didn’t want to miss.

^{What can people expect to find in the Collective shop during your spot?}

People can expect to see under-exposed contemporary artists, illustrators and lowbrow weirdness from around the world. We specialise in beautifully framed affordable art, as well as books, magazines and collectable, artist made objects.

^{How would you incorporate 300 bananas, 5 tons of golden syrup, and 2 peacocks into a future pop up?}

We would ask an artist to do a massive artwork on the floor with all the items, make a time lapse and show the video in the pop up “Art Attack” style.

And here’s a bit more information directly from Atomica Gallery about their launch.

The facebook event is here: https://www.facebook.com/events/378051902300970/?fref=t

Music: DJ Paskal from Rough & Tough crew will be spinning classic ska and reggae vinyl

Drinks: Sailor Jerry are sponsoring the event and will be providing rum cocktails

Atomica’s launch will also feature the debut of Honest Brew’s “We Are Pop Up x Camden Collective” brew!

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Pop Up Shop Community Event : Pop Up Meet Up (#PUMU) Camden

Yesterday, We Are Pop Up and Camden Collective teamed up to bring you Pop Up Meet Up 7. It was an honour to work with Jude Bennett and the Collective team; using the space for this month’s #PUMU and helping to launch the Camden Collective’s first mainstay pop-up shop.

This month it was all about collaboration, with different skills coming together to create successful, exciting and unique pop-up shop concepts. What better way to share the beauty of collaboration than to show it? Honest Brew showcased their new customizable brewing concept and filled the space with the aroma of hops. Les Greedy Cochons treated us to the best food in Camden; bite-sized!

Filled with an expertly curated art show by Test Space, there were artists pulling screen prints and live music. This was truly a unique room full of creative and like-minded people sharing, inspiring and working together.

The night’s big announcement was the Camden Collective and We Are Pop Up competition. Camden Collective are offering a beautiful space on Camden High Street for 2 days to 2 weeks cost-free. The competition is open to creative projects, businesses and brands working in fashion, retail, art, design and creative events.

Met someone who has inspired, interested or shared a passion with you? This is a great reason to start a conversation. Applications can be mixed-and-matched, and you can even link to another project you love to apply with a collaborator.

What are you waiting for? Apply now!

Many thanks to Camden Collective photographer Keiko Yamazaki for the incredible photographs of the evening. You can see even more on our #PUMU 7 Pinterest Board.