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LAS VEGAS, March 25, 2015—Husband and wife designer duo Aaron R. Thomas and Stefanie Phan-Thomas unveiled an enchanting LuciteLux® retail wonderland today at GlobalShop 2015 in the LuciteLux booth #3510. Appointed by the Lucite International-owned acrylic brand to highlight the significant potential of the use of LuciteLux acrylic in retail design, the couple chose a wonderland-inspired theme that perfectly exhibits the limitless innovative applications of LuciteLux.
The designers’ whimsical retail display incorporates LuciteLux in state-of-the-art visual merchandising and finished retail. Inspired by the World Trade Center 2, Thomas’ architectural acrylic vitrines encase Stefanie Phan’s collection of luxury LuciteLux clutch purses, which are positioned playfully blossoming from hand-crafted Chihuly-esque flowers. A limited edition collaboration between Thomas and French pop artist Yannick Hamon includes handmade and painted LuciteLux skateboards and a one-of-a-kind Ghost Louis chair. A dot matrix stencil of 12,240 hand-cut squares on the chair’s upholstery reveals a cross-stitch embroidery-like portrait of supermodel Cara Delevingne. The enchanting retail exhibition was crafted entirely from LuciteLux acrylic and is intended to inspire designers ahead of the company’s third annual Just Imagine Awards, which will launched yesterday.
An architect, designer and master craftsman who grew up in his father’s acrylic workshop, Thomas has created retail and hospitality fantasies for the likes of Louis Vuitton, Apple, Neiman Marcus, Mulberry, Mercedes-Benz, Ralph Lauren, Marc Jacobs, SLS, Viceroy, Beverly 60 and Hollywood Roosevelt Hotels. Thomas’ unique combination of business, architectural and engineering training combined with his hands-on craftsmanship in acrylic, wood, metal, glass, lighting and other specialty materials have allowed him to develop a reputation as the design industry’s go-to guy. “If you can dream it, I can build it. And even if you can’t dream it, I can help you come up with a dream,” says Thomas.
Thomas met Phan-Thomas in 2010 at a photo shoot when the former magazine editor was writing a story about Thomas’ work. Their meeting sparked a mutual appreciation for beautiful, intelligent, well-crafted design and this shared fascination eventually evolved into a marriage of creative collaboration in both life and work. In 2014, Phan-Thomas, a fashion devotee (who was first introduced to the industry via her work at W magazine and Chanel) pursued her dream to introduce her own designs by launching a self-titled brand of luxury acrylic clutch purses and jewelry that are hand-crafted by Thomas. Combining their backgrounds in the luxury marketplace, the couple strive to deliver captivating brand messages via fantasy-inspired settings. “The term ‘retail therapy’ resonates with us all. The shopping experience should make us feel good from the initial moment of brand engagement and long after we take the product home. As a designer, this represents an opportunity to create a utopia,” says Phan-Thomas. “If you successfully create an heirloom, you might even get adopted into a family—imagine that,” she adds. The couple is committed to delivering envelope-pushing, heirloom-quality creations that honor American craftsmanship and ingenuity.
Aaron R. Thomas LuciteLux® Design Clinic
Thomas is hosting a LuciteLux Acrylic Design Clinic at GlobalShop 2015. Visitors to the booth will have the opportunity to connect with Thomas and discuss anything from design inspiration and mixing acrylic with other materials, to manipulating this versatile material into creations and delivering full-scale interior solutions.
About Aaron R. Thomas
Aaron R. Thomas is an acclaimed American master craftsman, architect, artist, engineer and manufacturer who is known for his vast fine art repertoire. Aaron’s breadth of expertise in design, engineering and manufacturing has been commissioned by art collectors, A-list celebrities and luxury brands including Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy, Ralph Lauren, Mulberry, Baccarat, Apple, Neiman Marcus, Disney and Mercedes-Benz. The impeccable manner in which he executes each project (from product design to full architectural projects) is testament to his unique ability to take a project from conception to completion, in an efficient manner while ensuring work of the highest quality and expertise. For more information, visit http://aaronrthomas.com and follow him at http://instagram.com/aaronrthomas or http://twitter.com/aaronrthomasinc.
About Stefanie Phan-Thomas
Stefanie Phan’s unique style eloquently combines laid-back with luxe and was inspired by her childhood years spent growing up on the picturesque beaches of Western Australia. An NYU graduate, Stefanie has developed an inherent fascination with the value of quality, something that she demonstrated continually in her work with W magazine, Chanel and Riviera magazine. In 2014, committed to producing beautiful, intelligent, well-crafted design, Stefanie debuted her self-titled brand of handcrafted clutch purses and jewelry. To learn more about Stefanie, visit: http://stefaniephan.com and follow her at http://instagram.com/stefaniephan, http://twitter.com/stefaniephan, http://facebook.com/stefaniephaninc or http://pinterest.com/stefaniephan
Editor’s note: Photographs of the designers and retail display are available upon request. Please contact Lucy Tokiwa for further information at hello@stefaniephan.com
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