 om Yurkin’s design process boils down to this: “He listens to Elton John and sits at his computer.” So says Ross Klein, senior vice president of corporate marketing for Polo Jeans Co., and he ought to know. |
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Anything but claustrophobic, the exhibit gives the illusion of a vast space, with an open beam ceiling on one side and a fabric “sky” stretched over the other. |
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| Klein challenged Yurkin, vice president of creative for Freeman Exhibit, to reinvent the Polo Jeans exhibit for MAGIC 2002, a top show for the retail apparel industry. Polo’s problem: a claustrophobic exhibit too literal in its interpretation of denim and country. “It was just heavy and dark, and it wasn’t really a billboard for the brand,” Klein says. He also wanted the new exhibit constructed with lightweight, state-of-the-art materials to put a clean finish on the image. So, the real challenge for Yurkin was striking a balance between the modern presentation Klein wanted and an effective depiction of Ralph Lauren’s 35-year heritage. The new 30-by-90 booth Yurkin created has achieved that balance. Both rustic and modern, the exhibit combines 100-year-old barn wood, clean white walls, and matte aluminum supports. The exhibit also features a huge American flag painted on a corrugated aluminum roof that has been treated to look weathered. That feature was inspired by the trend in barn painting Klein noticed recently while visiting upstate New York. And prominent on all sides of the booth are the trademark Polo graphics, which showcase finely toned specimens of both sexes in Polo Jeans Co. clothing. Summing up the exhibit’s achievement, one judge says: “This is a very good extension of the brand. You walk in and know exactly who they are.” That’s an achievement even Elton would appreciate.  |
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| Island — Less Than $150/sq. ft. Polo Jeans Co. Freeman Exhibit, Dallas; 800-334-9102; www.freemanexhibit.com MAGIC 2002 $290,000 30 by 90 feet $107 |
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Designed for reuse, the exhibit looks fresh each time it appears on the show floor with a quick update to the drool inducing graphics that feature the season’s latest product lines. |
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staff writer
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