Carnaby in Queen collab ahead of Bohemian Rhapsody movie release

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Sep 5, 2018

Carnaby is continuing to specialise in quirky marketing campaigns that make the most of the street and general area’s music industry heritage with its latest event being a collaboration with Twentieth Century Fox. Between them, they’re bringing a world-first Queen-inspired art installation and immersive exhibition to Carnaby Street just as the movie Bohemian Rhapsody is set to debut in cinemas. 

 
Tourist destination Carnaby Street has unveiled the exclusive art installation in celebration of the movie (which is named after Queen’s most successful chart single), with Freddie Mercury’s lyrics a key focus on the installation ahead of the film’s UK release on October 24.  

Visitors can see the giant colourful neon lyrics including Queen’s opening ‘Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?’ along with the playful ‘Galileo’ and ‘Figaro’. Elsewhere, Queen’s crest – originally designed by Mercury – features on Carnaby’s arches, with a giant illuminated crown topping Carnaby’s shimmer flag.

A pop-up shop and exhibition located at 3 Carnaby Street will also open on October 10 with a showcase of photographs, prints, footage and costumes. The store will also stock official movie merchandise and Queen-inspired products and will feature experiential activity including a visit from the official Madame Tussauds Freddie Mercury waxwork.

It’s not the only music-linked event landlord Shaftesbury has run in the Carnaby area this year with last month seeing the launch of the Tusk Rhino Trail, a month-long campaign to celebrate the rhino and to raise awareness for the conservation of the endangered African species.

And the music link? Twenty-one specially painted and embellished rhino sculptures charged onto the streets of London, including a design by Ronnie Wood situated on Broadwick Street just off Carnaby Street. The sculpture can be seen until September 22.

Carnaby has evolved over the years from a must-visit fashion retail location in the 1960s and 70s to a souvenir shop-dominated street in later decades. But this century has seen it riding high again and Shaftesbury has carefully curated the list of tenants there. That has created the current quirky, aspirational mix including a strong combination of accessories and beauty retailers, sport-leisure names and fashion chains.