THE VISION COUNCIL

The tale started two years ago. We were still in the city struggling to survive month to month. By a stroke of luck Beth Dempsey from Images and Details called. She had been Rick’s PR agent for the furniture line when it first came out. Beth had a client, the Vision Council, who sponsored a big show at the Javits centered on the eyeglass industry and its affiliated fingers: medical and health. Beth’s job was to create a buzz in the media getting them to promote the current eye associated products in their magazines, blogs and editorials. What Beth wanted us to do was spruce up their press registration and lounge area previously held in a dreary underground box complete with dreadful carpeting, institutional beige walls, harsh overhead lighting and an acoustical tile ceiling. I have no idea why Beth came to us, perhaps she knew of our downwardly spiraling business and preformed an act of charity or she thought I was green enough I'd be hungry for the opportunity or maybe she just thought we would do a good job. Whatever the reason, the opportunity has grown over the past three years into a sizeable event expanding from our first lounge to the following year’s lounge and event space to this year’s lounge and a front and center booth in the Crystal Palace area of the Javits.  This piece of prime real estate in the Javits gave us a chance to show our client what we were really capable of doing. It also brought us back into the New York market shedding a bit of our homesickness and giving our creativity a chance to stretch its wings.

Beth presented a concept of a photo gallery of iconic eyeglass wearers and an additional pictorial of eyewear trends. We also needed to add the health division’s request to show their newest products wrapped in a concept of the four seasons. With this information we began to envision the space, It enfolded as an airy white expanse defined by seventeen two-tiered towers with silk dupioni drapery bridges forming a backdrop for the framed icon images. A central gallery of trend kiosks led to the frame stations where the press were fitted for free frames.

Each corner progressed through a year of healthcare related product flowing from spring to summer to fall and then winter, anchored by trees representing each season.

From spring blooms to snow encrusted branches the seasonal corners encouraged the pres to make a complete meander though the entire space.

The height of flattery came in a 9:30pm phone call the night before the event was to open when our client called asking if we would help them accessorize their exclusive designer space. The head of the event had seen what we had done and was unhappy with the look of their premiere space. She wanted our assistance in taking the decoration to the next level – in the next twelve hours, ten of which were only useable for sleep or internet research. It’s amazing what you can do in New York with a van and a charge card.

The whole thing was a good step up on the ladder to recovery.