Thinx and Placeholder Introduce Their Pop-Up Shop ‘The Rest Room’

Thinx, makers of menstrual and incontinence underwear, want to change the way we talk about menstruation—periods are an everyday thing, and, you know, pretty much half of the world's population experiences them. 

This holiday season, that ethos is on full display at Thinx's holiday pop-up store in SoHo, NYC.

Thinx worked with design and branding agency Placeholder as well as architect Yun Shi to bring the pop-up to life. Dubbed “Rest Room,” the experience is meant to represent a respite from the societal taboos surrounding periods. Thinx approached Placeholder to help further change the conversation we have around menstruation—instead of whispers behind restroom doors, the discussion is being held in a warm, comfortable space, openly and without stigma. 

“We based the concept on that insight, and created the space as an inversion of that reality, something that would offer a preview of a more comfortable, tolerant, and inclusive future,” Placeholder said in a press release.

The space also serves to showcase Thinx’s line of period underwear, designed to supplement or replace other menstrual products as they are both washable and reusable (plus, they’ve got some pretty well-designed products to boot).

The pop-up makes use of pink and red, but the use of curved demi-walls creates a more open and casual area, a space that is inviting and inclusive as well as warm and comfortable. Additionally, Placeholder created the graphic identity system for the pop-up, as well as designing collateral and apparel.

Thinx is no stranger to this kind of pop-up experience as they rolled out their PMS Truck back in 2017 for the “Fearless Bleeding Tour,” similarly meant to empower women to talk about menstruation in a positive light, one that tears away the negative connections some might have.

Rest Room is located at 242 Elizabeth St. NYC, and open daily until January 1st, 2020.