FOCUS. and Urban Umbrella Reunite for NYFW SP2024

Phillip Lim taps New York’s preeminent design firm to construct an entrance and staging system for his highly anticipated return to NYFW

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–In his return to the New York runway since pre-pandemic days, Phillip Lim showcased his collection, “A New York Uniform” amidst a quintessentially New York nod: Scaffolding. FOCUS. and Lim tapped the events division at Urban Umbrella – the urban design firm renowned for its sleek white sidewalk scaffolding – to construct the backdrop.

Guests of the show entered on Bowery through Urban Umbrella’s sleek black arch. Inside, models emerged onto the runway through a custom and purposefully industrial design for an all-encompassing New York experience.

“New York’s culture and energy are at the core of our production and community,” says Dominic Kafka, Senior Vice President, Managing Director, IMG FOCUS.. “Urban Umbrella’s thesis is quintessentially New York, while introducing a fresh aesthetic for the streets we walk every day.”

“Phillip Lim’s dedication to New York design is aligned with our mission of elevating the safety and aesthetic of New York City sidewalks,” says Ben Krall, CEO & founder of Urban Umbrella. “In our continued partnership with FOCUS., we were honored to support Phillip Lim’s lauded return to the NYFW runway.”

Best known as a design company re-imagining scaffolding with beauty and security in mind, this is not the first time Urban Umbrella has delved into the art, fashion and event arenas. A recurring partner to FOCUS., Urban Umbrella’s Event Activation Canopy showcases the company’s expertise in creative non-construction-related applications. The company made a captivating debut with its Event Activation canopy at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., providing an enchanting backdrop for The Playhouse, an interactive and immersive exhibition. The Event Activation canopy has also made notable appearances at last year’s Design Miami/ 2022 in Miami Beach and Bank of America’s annual Bryant Park Winter Village in New York City. Urban Umbrella was even more recently selected by Overland Entertainment to provide the centerpiece canopy for the prestigious red-carpeted entranceway at the Festival’s premier Tribeca venue.

Benjamin Krall emphasized that the expansion into non-construction offerings has been a strategic move for the company. “Over the past year, we have focused on leveraging our unique proprietary product and design capabilities to engage new audiences beyond the construction industry,” Krall explained. “Recognizing a market gap for a temporary, structurally engineered event canopy that seamlessly integrates branding and marquee features, we take pride in being industry pioneers. Our innovative canopy is the only product specifically engineered to cater to the diverse needs of the arts, entertainment, fashion, and retail sectors.”

As the only legal alternative to the traditional green shed scaffolding, Urban Umbrella has quickly become the recognizable white arches and clean steel lines that now protect more than 120 New York City blocks. In addition to custom event construction, Urban Umbrella primarily works with buildings to provide a safe and aesthetically pleasing alternative to the necessary scaffolding that is required under Local Law 11. Through this work, Urban Umbrella has quickly become an advocate for New York’s fashion industry:

• Urban Umbrella has played a role in multiple seasons of New York Fashion Week and has provided its distinguished canopy services to luxury retailers in Manhattan, Boston, and Chicago.
• In keeping with the ongoing efforts of the fashion industry, Urban Umbrella is a more environmentally conscious and sustainable solution for any scaffolding experience.
• Urban Umbrella boasts a height that is more beneficial for ground floor retailers – a feature that drives foot traffic to designers in a post-pandemic era when they need it most.

ABOUT URBAN UMBRELLA

Urban Umbrella is repaving city infrastructure through value-engineered scaffolding. As the designer, patent holder, and fabricator of the only alternative to traditional sidewalk scaffolding approved by the New York City Department of Buildings, Urban Umbrella merges award-winning architectural design with best-in-class fabrication for an unprecedented level of resilience and vibrance. Designed by a team of architects and engineers, and upholding a perfect safety track record, Urban Umbrella aims to upgrade every city’s sidewalks for a safer, more aesthetically pleasing environment for all. In addition to sidewalk scaffolding and overhead protection, the company also provides canopies and event staging systems, custom façade netting, and construction fencing. Urban Umbrella is live in five cities at present, including recent launches in Dallas-Ft. Worth and Montréal. Urban Umbrella is based in New York City, where it currently covers more than 120 city blocks. For more information, please visit https://www.urbanumbrella.com/.

ABOUT IMG

IMG is a global leader in sports, fashion, events and media. The company manages some of the world’s greatest athletes and fashion icons; owns and operates hundreds of live events annually; and is a leading independent producer and distributor of sports and entertainment media. IMG also specializes in licensing, sports training and league development. IMG is a subsidiary of Endeavor, a global sports and entertainment company.

Contacts

Benjamin Maltz, [email protected]