Swipe Right For Bumble’s IRL Dating Experience in Aspen

By Meredith Constant | Photos by Kylie Fitts photography

It feels like the only way to meet new people is on an app or by joining a reality show set on a tropical island, armed with bikinis, clip-in hair extensions, and crossed fingers that America's voting goes your way. But what if bombshells, future best friends, and budding romances began organically, say, after a day on the slopes?

That’s what Studio Coco Greenblum was asked to create: a brick-and-mortar spot for users of dating app Bumble to meet up. When a storefront in Aspen unexpectedly became available, Bumble took the opportunity to bring the dating world full-circle, from in-person meet-cutes to Bumbling online and back again. And in just three weeks, Coco transformed the space into Bumble’s pop-up hive concept: Love Chalet.

Wood paneling, shag rugs, and old skis definitely have their place in an après-ski town, but for this Love Chalet, Coco eschewed “traditional mountain clichés.” Well, there was also some shagging… throws draped over rattan loungers, along with plush upholstered chairs in cozy corners for cocktails and conversation. She manages to reference both Aspen and the brand through colors and textures.

“We focused on creating a space that felt warm, sophisticated, and welcoming, while seamlessly incorporating Bumble’s recognizable visual identity,” Coco says.

Yes, the lighting pendants look like beehives and the walls and ceilings are dripping in honeyglow yellow, but it works without going over the top. The installation reads as romantic thanks to materials and furnishings like Nordic Knot rugs, European antiques, and vintage pieces.

Sounds to us like the perfect place to meet during golden hour.

Now, the real question: Could people connect without a written prompt or 5-10 photos of men holding fish or posing on the one indoor rock-climbing wall in the greater Denver area? (Too specific?)

They can, and they did.

“Guests weren’t simply moving through activations,” Coco notes. “They were lingering over conversations and experiencing the environment the way we had intended.”

Bumble stood out early on for having women make the first move (in heterosexual relationships) and introducing the 24-hour window to reply to a new match. This was a relief when I was newly single and ready to mingle—but not too late on a school night, and please don't make me exercise or hold a fish. The only thing worse than a bad pick-up line in a bar is a bad AI-generated one cut and pasted to numerous unsuspecting dates after swiping right.

The Love Chalet pop-up storefront successfully translated Bumble’s digital mission into a physical experience. Coco says, “It proved that even a temporary installation can leave a lasting emotional impression when it's approached with the same care and attention as any interior design project.”

It wasn't speed-dating. It wasn't a blind date. It was more like: stop by, enjoy the swag, drinks, Oxygen Bar, chat with interesting people, and see if the sparks fly. If the conversation fizzled, at least you didn't send any regrettable selfies. And who knows? Maybe you left with a new ski buddy. ⬥