Case Study | Ralph Lauren Polo Earth Fragrance Launch

GrowUp Greenwalls had the incredible opportunity to provide moss and living plant walls for a pop-up store in Nolita in New York City for the launch of Ralph Lauren’s new Polo Earth Fragrance. The client wanted to create a lush forest within the bustling city, inspired by the forests of the Catskills in Upstate New York. They wanted to take their clients on a journey and have them fully immersed in nature as they experienced their latest cologne - #PoloEarth.

Starting outside the store clients are able to see the full and lush living wall that completely covers the front of the store and is visible from everywhere on the otherwise harsh city block. As they move through the “portal” into the store the combination of beautiful lush moss and live plants takes them into another world where everything is green, natural, and peaceful and the outside world is left behind. 

We used preserved moss that is sourced in the Northwest and preserved and dyed. Large moss panels were constructed off-site in Brooklyn and shipped to the site with the help of the incredible team at Bednark Studios. This allowed for smooth and simplified installation in the tight space. The panels were attached to the walls with French cleats to create a seamless, natural appearance. Our moss is completely preserved, therefore requiring absolutely no maintenance once installed. This was perfect for the pop-up store and allowed the client to avoid the headache of maintenance. On several of the panels we implemented a “live edge” for an optimally natural appearance. The moss walls transitioned perfectly into the other walls without any harsh or unnatural lines. 

To get a fully natural and luscious look, we included live plants into the design of the moss walls. Our innovative system allowed for live plants to be seamlessly incorporated into the moss walls to achieve the overgrown, organic look the client was going for. We used a wicking system for the live plants within the moss walls that kept the plants watered for the duration of the pop-up store. Floral arrangements were also integrated into the moss walls to create depth and interest. 

In order to attract customers and set the mood for the product, the client wanted the design of the interior to extend outside to the storefront. The exterior of the store posed a challenge in that our live plants were exposed to New York’s harsh early Spring weather. The beautiful ferns caught the attention of every passerby and drew customers into the store. The GrowUp modular system was implemented, using offsite planting for easy and fast installation. The system also allowed for easy inclusion of signage that was essential for the design. 

The greenery that GrowUp provided created the perfect environment for the launch of the Polo Earth scent. Surrounded by greenery, customers were able to be fully immersed into the idea behind the product and experience the full effect. The space created the perfect backdrop for the promotion of the product and inspired customers to take photos and share their experiences online. 

Photo: Angus Cloud

We are incredibly proud of the hard work that went into this project and excited for the projects to come. Search #PoloEarth on social media to see more photos from the project. 

To find out more about our moss walls, click the link below.