In a nutshell
A simple, minimal and purposely rough-finished space created with architect Paul Van Der Grient of WXY Studio. Environmental (kept materials, eco electricity) that play to the brand's core values of fair wages, innovative materials etc. Worth comparing with APL.
In their words
“SUSTAINABILITY IS AN EMPTY WORD.
WE CHOOSE REALITY.”
“The chosen location on Mulberry street has a similar feeling
to the Parisian neighborhoods that we call home. In this shop,
we will go beyond retail to launch projects we believe in and
help people connect with cool and meaningful initiatives,”
says François Morillion, co-founder of VEJA.
“SUSTAINABILITY IS AN EMPTY WORD.
WE CHOOSE REALITY.”
Visit Field notes
Brand flagship for the European eco-focused sneaker brand. Sand-toned, light-flooded space to see the full range. Interesting to compare with APL since that too has a very minimal and "sneakers in the Arizona desert" vibe of bright lights, sand/marble floor and walls and a lot of space. The vibe at Veja is more around the provenance of the shoes and their environmental aspects (rather than tech or sport). This is a lovely space for the brand values to shine and to see an extended range (rather than a few piece or colabs in brand-supporting stores). Veja shoes use fair trade and organic raw materials and so cost c30% more in terms of materials than other sneakers.
The brand does not focus on advertising or using brand ambassadors, influencers or the like. They note that 70% of the retail cost of branded sneakers is due to advertising and branding and so they eschew this spend to focus on the product and word of mouth from their passionate customers.
Although the stores are starting to selling returned and restocked shoes, they don't yet have full integration with the online sales or returns from other channel partners.
Other Reading
About Veja's sustainable approach to sneakers - https://project.veja-store.com/en
Veja's store page: https://www.veja-store.com/en_uk/shop-view-newyork
About their no-advertising approach: https://project.veja-store.com/en/single/ads
LAST VISITED
12/11/2024
Added
2022
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