Escape New York City’s hustle and bustle with Skullpanda’s new pop-up, which opened last week in the Meatpacking District.
The pop-up celebrates Pop Mart’s newest series, Skullpanda Off Mode, with an immersive gallery and exclusive item shop. At the Oct. 15 launch event, guests had the opportunity to learn more about the plush doll pendant series, which focuses on moments of relaxation and self-care. The event also featured a live DJ set by Mona Matsuoka, and brightly colored, unique cocktails inspired by the new series.
“I wanted to acknowledge and remind people that it’s okay to pause on the daily musts and expectations,” Skullpanda creator and artist Xiong Miao said in a press release. “This experience brings that to life in a space where fans can slow down and reconnect with what’s real around us.”
The experience is split into three rooms, each of which build on the story of Off Mode. The first room, The Self We Wear, lets guests try on different Skullpanda clothes by rolling a die at designated photo ops. Like the pop-up says, “How you enter the day is up to you,” with fashion as an opportunity for self-expression. The second room, A Day in Motion, contains scenes from daily life, including a laundromat, fruit stand, desk and clothing rack. These different photo ops represent how everyday tasks can demand our energy and dictate our mood, leading us into the third room, Goodnight Mode. After a day of exertion, we drift into sleep and relaxation, represented by No Alarm, a landscape of clouds and cushions.
After snapping photos at the different stops and reading more about Off Mode, guests will enter the exclusive pop-up shop. Here, Pop Mart is selling United States exclusive items, including collaborations with Netflix’s “Wednesday” and products like the Go Around With Pop Mart series. Pop-up exclusive items, including totes, mugs and a Cage-Uncage Skullpanda plush are available for sale, along with the new Off Mode series blind boxes.
In honor of the launch and Skullpanda’s eighth anniversary, the immersive experience will be open through November 30. More information about Skullpanda is available on Pop Mart’s site.
