Bench Open House
A three-floor Y2K house party brand world for Bench’s Revival collection.
To celebrate Bench’s Revival collection, Riot House took over the three-floor tattoo studio Manchester Social, for Bench Open House: a community-led sample sale and launch party bringing together creators, students and fans of the brand.
With the collection stocked by Urban Outfitters and gaining momentum with a younger, style-led audience, the brief was to place Bench firmly within contemporary youth culture. We turned one of Manchester’s coolest tattoo studios into a fully branded Bench house party, combining fashion, tattoos, music and content across all three floors.
Three Floors of Bench
We transformed every level of Manchester Social, creating a different experience on each floor while ensuring the whole venue felt unmistakably Bench.
The ground floor became a relaxed retail space where guests could shop the Revival collection and discover the new pieces. Further into the venue, hangout spaces encouraged people to stay, explore and create content before heading down to a full basement party with a live DJ.
The tattoo studio itself became part of the experience, with guests able to choose from a selection of free Bench tattoos created especially for the event.
back to y2k
The creative direction took cues from the era that made Bench famous, reworked for the younger audience now wearing the brand.
We filled the venue with lava lamps, retro magazines, flyposters, vintage games consoles, 00s cultural references and throwback technology. Retro phones and playful content moments gave guests ready-made opportunities to capture and share the event.
Directional floor vinyls guided people through the building, while branded mirror stickers, social prompts and Bench graphics carried the identity through stairwells, retail spaces, bathrooms and party areas. It wasn’t simply a decorated venue; the whole building became a Bench brand world.
fashion upstairs, party downstairs
As the evening progressed, the energy moved through the venue and into the basement.
A live DJ turned the lower floor into a packed late-night party, while drinks partner Żubrówka added another established lifestyle brand to the experience. The format allowed Bench to showcase the collection while creating something that felt credible to the audience: more house party than traditional fashion party.
the right crowd
The guest list brought together creators, models, students and members of Manchester’s creative community, alongside fans who already connected with the Revival collection.
By mixing industry guests with the wider Bench community, the event generated a constant stream of natural content. It also gave media and creators a strong story around the brand’s return to the Manchester fashion scene.
Our PR campaign secured regional coverage ahead of the event, including features in The Manc and Manchester Confidential, helping drive awareness and attendance.
Fashion with a Local Purpose
The sample sale also supported Mustard Tree, a Manchester charity working to combat poverty and prevent homelessness across Greater Manchester.
Every penny raised through sales on the night was donated to the charity, giving the event a meaningful local connection and allowing guests to support its work while shopping the collection.
The first 50 purchases also received products from event partners Isovibe and Sunday Rain, adding an extra reward for early shoppers.
THE RESULT
More than 300 guests attended Bench Open House, generating over 75 pieces of organic creator content and a press reach of more than one million.
The event strengthened Bench’s place within Manchester’s fashion and creative scene, connected the Revival collection directly with a younger audience and raised money for Mustard Tree’s work across Greater Manchester.
What began as a sample sale became a complete fashion, content and nightlife takeover for the brand.
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