courtesy Esrawe Studio

courtesy Esrawe Studio

The year 1888 marks the beginning of the history of "El Palacio de Hierro", Mexico's most emblematic department store, and since then it has been a reference of luxury, fashion and style in this country.

To commemorate its 125th anniversary, "El Palacio de Hierro" displays the exhibition "125 Years of Style" in one of its most iconic buildings in the city: the Historical District. The central atrium of the store is transformed into a temporary museum that houses unique garments, images, objects, documents and videos that have been retrieved from the archives of "El Palacio de Hierro" as well as from private collectors. Nineteen window displays around the perimeter complement the journey through the history of 125 years, and each one represents key events in the evolution of the store from the beginning of its construction in 1888 until present day.

courtesy Esrawe Studio

courtesy Esrawe Studio

courtesy Esrawe Studio

courtesy Esrawe Studio

INHABITING THE VOID WITH SPACE.
A temporary steel structure was conceptualized that could be built in 7 days, a three-dimensional grid that contains the stories which through its outward appearance narrates the metaphor of –an Iron Palace- in constant evolution and transformation. Fifty-six window displays are suspended in space, in their interior they tell the story of a country and a brand that has been by its side for more than a century promoting style and good taste; on the outside, floating boxes and its monochromatic language referring to the DNA of the brand; they become almost invisible golden mirrors reflecting the monumental stained glass window in the atrium as well as the moving images of constantly changing visitors, writing new stories to become participants in a geometric staging. The architectural beauty of the building is emphasized in a bilateral dialogue with the complexity of lines and the honesty of an iron structure that provides the framework to build the new speech of a brand that presents itself always respectful of its past but directed towards an avant-garde vision.

+ Project facts

EXHIBITION CURATORSHIP
Rodrigo Flores y Ana Elena Mallet

CURATORIAL ASSISTANT
Areli Murcia y Pilar Obeso

COLLECTIONS LINK
Ana Paulina Lemus Castillo

INVESTIGATION & DOCUMENTATION
Luis María Silva

ICONOGRAPHICAL INVESTIGATION
Emmanuel Rodríguez

CONCEPT
Esrawe & Cadena

CREATIVE MANAGEMENT
Héctor Esrawe and Ignacio Cadena

OPERATIONAL COORDINATION
Jorge Bracho
Alberto López
Joaquín Cevallos

PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Javier García-Rivera

VISUAL LANGUAGES
Rocío Serna

ESRAWE & CADENA TEAM
Anna Salcedo
Carlos Chino
David Flores
Rodrigo Casanova
Mariana Núñez
Stella Riesterer
Said Manzur
Ivan Delgadillo
Ricardo Bideau
Marcela Fraustro
Karmen Orta
Sergio Martínez

CONTRIBUTORS
Amoato Studio
CBI Construcciones Técnicas
Colección Aura
Disemo
Emilio Zenteno
Grupo Exalt
IBE México
Iluminación LF
Laboratorio Mexicano de Imágenes
La Madeja…El Otro Tejido
Magsa
Mamutt Films
PIU México
Selca Iluminación
Timbrart

+ All images courtesy Esrawe Studio