LA POP UP (COME WITH US)
A dream to continue to organically propagate the Merchants vision globally.
To bring these ideas to fruition, over the past few months, Matt and the team have been covertly planning an activation event alongside Round Two Agency, with the intention of showcasing Merchants to the people of California in a way that felt true to our brand and who we are. After endless Zoom calls, Pinterest boards, and long blacks at 4pm, the Merchants x RTA Supper Club was brought to life in Downtown LA.
The goal was clear: to create an event that people could create expressively and exist inside a space they felt they could be themselves. Matt's vision was to exhibit Merchants and our story, in a way where people could be part of it going forward—an opportunity for us to communicate our core values of empowerment, sustainability and creativity in a way that felt authentic to the brand.
From the get-go the Supper Club activation was an instant hit—the evening unfolded with our new friends from LA floating into a stripped back loft/warehouse in downtown LA with a ping pong on one side of the room and two workshop tables on the other—handmade from cinderblocks and brushed metal by Ryan and his father from RTA.
Front and centre of the space lay a mixing deck placed precariously on more cinderblocks, with Merchants designs and artwork peppering the raw brick walls that enclosed the room. The soundtrack for the design workshop was set by a rotating roster of friends that attended the event.
The room was a-light with creative and excited energy as our invitees sketched out ideas and designs for their 'perfect ring'. Led by our founder, Matthew Banks, we went through with, meticulous detail, on our process of drawing up our designs from scratch, adding sentimental motifs/illustrations, transforming them into handmade wax moulds, and eventually casting them with recycled sterling silver.
If you want to follow along as we bring these sketches to life—we will be posting stories and photos over on our socials.
The evening also saw the pre-launch of the latest merchant capsule, form, paired with some delicious vino and classic downtown Chinese take-out—resulting in an incredible activation that left us proud and excited for this next chapter.
This evening couldn’t have come to life without the brands and people who supported us—so thank you to Calidad Beer, Gestalt Wines, For Those Who Sin, Strata and many others.
Thank you to all those who attended and expressed themselves inside Merchants. Last but not least, the biggest thank you to Stew and Phi from RTA - without their constant, generous help and creative eyes, this event wouldn’t be what it was.
This is only the beginning. We are so excited about all we have planned for Merchants in the States, and all the creative projects yet to execute.
Keep an eye out for our next wave of ideas, to be brought to life very soon.
Browse the gallery to see how the night unfolded. Unfortunately, cameras were left in the car for the afterparty.
Until the next one.
Merchants.
Shop the FORM collection here, and view the full gallery from the evening.
Words & Photography by Ash Durden.
