The US shoe and sportswear label Vans has reopened its flagship store in London’s West End with a new concept.
The store at 214 Oxford Street, which first opened in 2019, is now dedicated to skateboarding culture. A 200 square meter skate ramp made of Roman travertine is the eye-catcher of the furnishings, which was designed by the Milan-based architectural firm Andrea Caputo Studio.
The concept, which allows for flexible uses, takes “a radical approach to modern retail design” and implements “a strategy that reduces the store’s storage requirements by more than fifty percent, thereby significantly increasing the commercial space,” said the US The brand owned by the clothing group VF Corporation on Thursday.
Andreas Olsson, who was appointed Vice President and General Manager Vans EMEA in summer 2023, explained the background to the transformation: “When I returned to Vans a little over a year ago, we developed a clear strategy to transform ourselves as a brand through the lens of skateboarding,” he said in a statement. “We had to course-correct and make sure we were listening to what youth culture wanted from us – both in terms of products and experiences. Now, after just over a year, we have made great progress in setting new standards for the direction of the brand and this goal is an important step on that journey.”
