Elan: London's The Double Club, the Ultimate Pop Up

London seeks pop-up detente between The West and the Congo. Target opens four Bullseye Bodegas for just four days. These concepts sum up two considerations about modern life: It’s here today and gone tomorrow. And we HATE popups, right?

Ads yes. Concept shops, trendy restaurants, bars — no. These popups are the ultimate in urban cool.

When the chic French lifestyle retailer Collette opened in the Manhattan Fifth Avenue Gap store for a month this fall, that was a pop up. (Sorry my young style setters, but I must educate some of our readers on the vernacular.)

Last Sept. Target opened four Bullseye Bodega designer fashion popup stores in Manhattan for just four fashion-focused, style-drenched days. These stores generate a lot of buzz and must-see urgency, because they are so transitory. They’re even better when the crowds are in town.

Today the London Times zeroes in on popups in London, calling the city pop-up-tastic.

The Times reminds us that nowhere can be the hottest place for more than six months. By opening, then closing these places before the beautiful people get bored with them, the brand or concept remains fresh and relevant. The focus is what’s next?

Popups tend to be short on decor and expensive fixturing, so they are much less expensive to open. Until London’s Double Club, a project of Prada’s Fondazione Prada and Belgian-born artist Carsten Höller.

The Double Club is a Cultural Creative project in its heart. It’s brand synergy is two cultures: the West and the Congo. Yes, the Congo. The very “heart of darkness”, in many of today’s global news reports.

“It’s like a Rothko painting,” Höller says. “Two fields of colour, contrasting but complementary. The West and the Congo have had terrible interaction for a long time. We’re bringing people together temporarily, using music, food and art. It’s very positive.” Profits from this venture go to the City of Joy charity, helping rape victims in the Congo.

The Double Club, via WallpaperI’d be shocked to see a hip club in LA helping Congo rape victims, but if Cultural Creative values get a grip on LA, well then anything is possible.

For more about the Double Club, see also Wallpaper.

As for the damn ad popups, well only the blocker will help us. And if you’re paying attention closely, you will notice that digital ads are nearly impossible to move out of your way the last month. Transitory they’re not. I feel like I’m engaging in a growing guerrilla war, to read an online article before “they’re” ready to let me. I move; they move, covering up what I want to see.

Not nice, Mister ads … or those online media supporting them. In print, we can flip the page. This is a whole other ad medium … ad dodge ball or something.

Good popups are gone before you’re ready to kiss them goodbye. That’s the way we like it … keeping the retail lust alive. As for those other guys … they need severe punishment. Any thoughts?

Love, Anne