Pharrell 的“人类之家”体验店 | 展示大于实质

Location: 418 Rue Saint-Sulpice, Montréal, QC H2Y 2V5, Canada

Client: Humanrace for Ssense

Sculpture Design: Scheltens & Abbenes

On show at Ssense Montreal last month, an installation to celebrate Humanrace's launch on the global fashion platform felt more show than substance.

Key features

When Pharrell Williams' wellbeing-focused product company Humanrace – think genderless skincare lotions and potions as well as 'barefoot' shoes in collaboration with Adidas – launched on Ssense last month, the global fashion platform's David Chipperfield-designed Montreal space went all out. Humanrace skincare products come in emerald-green packaging, so that's the colour that covered the windows from top to bottom and side to side.

Inside, the House of Humanrace experience was divided into three brand pillars. First was a space dedicated to Wellbeings, the name Humanrace has given to what it describes as its 'growing community of humans with amazing spirits, inspiring you to push boundaries with ideas, thoughts and routines'. In non-marketing speak, Pharrell has assembled a group of famous faces as brand ambassadors, including rapper Tyler, the Creator; singer Maggie Rogers; and musician SZA.

From here, visitors could head up to level two, where a specially commissioned sculpture awaited – a collaboration between Humanrace creative director Edward Robinson and artist-photography duo Scheltens & Abbenes. Up on level five – as curated by Tyler, the Creator – Pharrell's favourite personal possessions were on show. Shoppers could pick up Humanrace products throughout the store, or head online to see the House of Humanrace's virtual sibling.

Frame's take

While it's not a new technique by any means, blacking out (or in this case, greening out) the entirety of Ssense's windows certainly piques curiosity about what's inside. But we wonder whether those that enter will find the magic promised to them. House of Humanrace is touted as an 'environment of immersion, restoration and discovery' yet seems more show than substance. The inclusion of Pharrell's favourite possessions, for instance. Do they fall under the 'discovery' category? It's hard to imagine anyone beyond huge Pharrell fans being captivated by seeing a selection of his sneakers, clothing and jewellery. It would have been much more interesting if immersion and restoration had been pushed further.