Charitini Gkritzali collaborates with ECAL and Hermès in zurich

 

Charitini Gkritzali’s whimsical and hypnotic window display titled The Astonishing Moment of Life, inspired by the Surrealist movement, marks the Hermès storefront in Zurich, Switzerland. These installations embody the luxury brand’s 2023 annual theme, Astonishment, transporting viewers into a realm where reality and the imagined intermingle. With a deep-rooted desire to uncover enchantment in the mundane, Gkritzali’s concept crafted in collaboration with ECAL began with the exploration of everyday actions such as eating, dressing, and playing. These ordinary acts served as the canvas for her artistry, infused with geometric forms and iconic Hermès accessories. The end result is a pair of window displays that intricately choreograph these elements into a mesmerizing narrative.

a whimsical window display intertwining the mundane and surreal marks Hermès zurich
Hermès Zurich window B | image by Alicia Dubuis

 

 

the Astonishing Moment of Life enlivens the mundane

 

The core concept for The Astonishing Moment of Life was to infuse a sense of magic and wonder into the familiarity of everyday life. Drawing inspiration from Surrealism, Charitini Gkritzali portrays a totem-like creature walking their pet in an interpretation that plays with proportion, balance, and a vivid palette of colors.

 

To translate the original 2D illustrations into three-dimensional window displays for Hermès Zurich, the Greek designer crafted a ‘collage’ of materials and finishes, with papier-mâché, plaster, lacquered wood, natural wood, painted metal, and felt bringing her vision to life. Each of the whimsical creatures inhabiting the windows is an intricate assembly of geometric pieces, conceived to ensure structural stability while preserving an ethereal quality. The majority of the pieces where constructed and finished by hand at the workshop, highlighting the sense of uniqueness and craftsmanship that Hermès is celebrated for.

a whimsical window display intertwining the mundane and surreal marks Hermès zurich
Hermès Zurich window A | image by Alicia Dubuis

a whimsical window display intertwining the mundane and surreal marks Hermès zurich
combining natural with lacquered wood

a whimsical window display intertwining the mundane and surreal marks Hermès zurich
hand-crafted paper clay finishing

a whimsical window display intertwining the mundane and surreal marks Hermès zurich
Charitini Gkritzali employs a collage of textures

a whimsical window display intertwining the mundane and surreal marks Hermès zurich
combining plaster with paper clay

a whimsical window display intertwining the mundane and surreal marks Hermès zurich
from concept illustration to design: window A

a whimsical window display intertwining the mundane and surreal marks Hermès zurich
from concept illustration to design: window B

 

 

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constructing the displays with a hand-finished paper clay technique
constructing the displays with a hand-finished paper clay technique
a vibrant collage of colors
a vibrant collage of colors
a collage of geometric shapes
a collage of geometric shapes

project info:

 

name: The Astonishing Moment of Life
designer: Charitini Gkritzali

client: Hermès

collaborators: ECAL, Hermès

 

 

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: ravail khan | designboom