Arcana, a two-year old wellness and hospitality brand, is sharing a small slice of its immersive nature experiences with shoppers at luxury fashion and style retailer Holt Renfrew.
Arcana first launched in 2021 with a secluded wilderness retreat two hours north of Toronto. The accommodation? Private cabins covered by a mirrored, stainless steel exterior, intended to reflect the surrounding environment and blend into nature.
The brand’s partnership with Holt Renfrew was anchored by the exterior installation of an arcana cabin in front of Holt’s flagship store on Toronto’s Bloor street late last month. It’s an example of the 23 private cabins situated on arcana’s Muskoka property, scheduled to open in 2024.
The activation is part of Holt Renfrew’s 10th anniversary celebrations of its H Project, dedicated to sustainable and socially conscious products, and the brand’s fall campaign, “Fashion the Future”—which is spotlighting brands, communities and industry professionals contributing to sustainable fashion.
“The fashion retail landscape has evolved to become inherently experiential, presenting a remarkable opportunity to introduce elements of the arcana experience to Holt’s audience,” said arcana’s co-founder, Felicia Snyder.
The cabin will make stops across the city throughout the month of October, while consumers are being encouraged to follow its journey on Instagram via #findarcana.
Ongoing collaboration between the brands includes a nature-inspired pop-up inside Holt’s retail location created by arcana’s in-house marketing team, with Toronto agency Hopscotch Partners leading the PR, as well as some influencer outreach (see below).
“Arcana is constantly seeking ways to demonstrate how interacting with nature throughout one’s day is beneficial to one’s mental health and well-being,” said Snyder. “Providing a small sanctuary … tucked within a retail space is a nod to this.”
While the experience is intended to offer a moment of peace while shopping, the main consumer offering is a code that allows visitors to book an exclusive arcana and Holt Renfrew hospitality package, which includes a two-stay night at the Muskoka property, accompanied by co-curated products and on-site wellness experiences.
The pop-up installation is essentially a glimpse at what the Muskoka experience will be like, decorated by greenery from floral design studio Timberlost, and custom seating from Barter Design Co. The on-site headphones play nature sounds, while a curated assortment of arcana and Holt Renfrew items are available to purchase.
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