Coach Getting Immersive in New Interactive Pop-up

Coach is taking a page from the book of the Dream Machine, a successful immersive, interactive — and eminently Instagrammable — experience that just wrapped up a two-month run in Brooklyn.

Offering its own distinct take on the idea, Coach will take over a space in SoHo from June 12-17 for Life Coach, an interactive pop-up that it boasts: “will heighten your senses, stimulate your soul and wake up all the feels. Here, you’ll find games, fortunes and other thrills for your third eye.”

The location at 107 Grand Street was inspired by New York, where the brand was founded in 1941 and includes references to American culture and Coach. There will be a neon storefront filled with psychic symbols and Coach design codes. Visitors will then enter a room transformed into a subway station, where they can write on blank walls before continuing on to a fairground scene, complete with carnival games. The third and final room is intended to be a dark forest where they’ll receive visions of their future.

Visitors can book appointments in advance, but walk-ups are also welcome.

Carlos Becil, chief marketing officer for Coach, said the idea behind Life Coach was “to construct an environment that encouraged self-expression, felt optimistic and, more than anything, allowed us to connect with our fans in a new, more intimate fashion. Life Coach inherently pays tribute to our heritage yet is focused on the path forward. Ultimately, Life Coach is what the audience makes it, where each experience will be unique.”

He said SoHo was chosen for its “grit, style and sense of adventure,” which mirrors that of the brand. “New York is part of the Coach DNA and we are taking the best of the city’s counter-culture and putting our spin on it, while also letting our visitors explore spirituality and creativity. Throughout the week of Life Coach, we will be curating a series of micro-events and live performances — by Venus X, The Hoodwitch, AstroTwins and more — that capture the spirit of the city and our brand.”

Becil said that today’s customers want brand experiences so “we won’t be stepping back from experiential. We will be developing new ideas like this in the future.”

There will be a private launch event on Monday night and then the space will be open to the public beginning on Tuesday. Admission is free.

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