Stores we love – November 2014

This month has seen brands diversify, from sports stores becoming wellness hubs to a heritage brand ramping up in-store digital. Take a look at our pick…

En Route – Tokyo

United Arrows opened a new concept store in Ginza, Tokyo that blends city casual fashion with contemporary running wear, earlier this year. En Route’s mission statement reads: “No cars, no taxis, no buses, no trains”, and the store has been built to reflect ‘wearable Tokyo’ – blending fashion and sportswear. The interior has an industrial softness through the combination of pale wood and steel framework, but the main store feature is the ‘running station’ on the second floor, where there are locker rooms and showers as well as recommended running routes through Tokyo’s metropolitan maze.

Denham – Amsterdam

Dutch brand Denham has expanded its offering on home turf with a Denim Bar focused completely on women and how hard it can be to select the perfect pair of jeans. A stark white interior forms the backdrop to vintage props from the Denham archive, a 300-degree mirror booth, and bespoke dressing-rooms inspired by beach huts in the British seaside resort of Brighton.

Nike – Newport Beach

Fresh from holding a Nike women’s innovation summit with 27 top female athletes in New York, Nike has just opened its first store for women in California, closely followed by a store in Shanghai, China. The concept is meant to reflect the cultural shift around sport and fitness as a complete lifestyle choice – e.g. buying an outfit that can transfer from yoga to brunch – and creates a community feel through yoga and training classes, and a special events space. The store interior uses reclaimed maple wood from a Californian high school on the floor and walls.

Rockar – Bluewater, Kent

We’ve reinvented the traditional car showroom and created a dynamic, digitally enhanced ‘auto boutique’ for new automotive retailer Rockar. Launching its first store in Bluewater shopping centre, the exciting new space offers the Hyundai range. Emphasising informality and transparency, Rockar’s omnichannel model allows customers to purchase a new car without ever having to speak to a salesperson, if desired. Alongside Hyundai display cars, the 2,000sqft store is populated with 42 digital screens. Each digital touchpoint has been designed to empower the customer with the details they need to make an informed purchase, as well as equipping the in-store staff – dubbed ‘angels’ – with the tools they need to engage and advise.

Frame Magazine – Amsterdam

After the success of Frame Magazine’s pop-up store earlier this year, they have found a new location in Amsterdam to create an innovative 3D magazine experience: “two shops in one with the coexistence of contradictory atmospheres”. Upon entering the store, the installation of white panels and framed images seemingly float in the space, while when viewed from the other direction black display units contrast form a stark contrast against the white walls.