"Imaginary Cities" is a one-of-a-kind collaboration between Burberry x SSENSE, melding online and offline components to push the boundaries of the traditional retail experience. The collaboration was also the first time SSENSE popped up within another brand's retail space. Something Special Studios partnered with the luxury retailers to bring the collaboration to life at Burberry SoHo. SSS led spatial design and production of the project, transforming the SoHo store into an immersive installation space and screening room.

The design turned the entryway into a system of intricate tunnels, elevated pathways, and dynamic lighting, leading customers to the ground floor showcasing Burberry's 'Mythical Alphabet' collection. Designed in collaboration with British graphic designer Peter Saville and illustrator Jo Ratcliffe, this new capsule collection celebrates the Burberry animal kingdom.

On the second level, an immersive viewing room with floor-to-ceiling Burberry beige carpet screened the exclusive 'A-B-CITY' collaboration film. Directed by New York collective Torso and set within NYC, the short film explores the theme of Imaginary Cities. Featuring Alexis Chaparro, Lourdes Leon, and Selyna Brillare, 'A-B-CITY' visualizes a story of coping with extreme change, with vignettes written by Brontez Purnell, Juliana Huxtable, and Natasha Stagg.

"Imaginary Cities" marks Burberry's first time inviting another retail partner to take over one of its spaces. To celebrate the opening of the space and in discussion of the project's unconventional approach to collaboration, Emily Pero, of Burberry, moderated a conversation between Something Special Studios founder Michael Goldberg and SSENSE creative Sasha Wells.