The new flagship store from the Swiss running brand On uses a series of installations to tell the brand’s story through movement.
On entering the Regent Street store, visitors are greeted by a robotic arm that picks up the brand’s trainers and whirls them around through space. It gives shoppers a chance to see the shoes in motion and from all angles, as well as providing a moment of futuristic awe.
Further towards the back of the store, another display unit educates visitors about the brand’s circular running shoe subscription programme, Cyclon. Visitors can pick up and interact with the shoes, see the blend of raw materials they are made from (which includes beans) as well as scan QR codes linking them to further information.
A giant screen on the wall plays abstract animations, providing a colourful and kinetic backdrop. The entire ground floor is dedicated to storytelling and installations that engage customers in the brand’s DNA and ethos. The basement plays host to regular community events.
Upstairs on the first floor, the brand’s full range of apparel, accessories and footwear are available for customers to browse and try on. The walls at the far end of each aisle feature installations demonstrating the properties of On’s materials – again focused on movement and how the products behave when in use. An ultra-light shell jacket is blown up with air from below, highlighting its lightness and inviting shoppers to touch the fabric, while a cross-section of running shoe is pressed against a surface by a machine arm, showing how the shoes absorb the impact of running when in use.
Retailers can look to the store for a great example of how to build a store around a focused and relevant theme – in this case, motion – and use that theme to tell the story of a brand.
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