On Opens Milan Flagship

Swiss performance sportswear brand On (Zurich) has opened new megastore on Milan’s Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, which is already home to flagships from the likes of Nike and Adidas, Footwear News reports.

The new store reflects On’s is commitment to scale up its direct-to-consumer presence to enhance the customer journey, Bianca Pestalozzi, the brand’s General Manager for the Europe, Middle East and Africa told FN.

The Milan store’s debut comes a month after the opening of an On Paris flagship on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées. Both cities and countries have huge potential, Pestalozzi said.

“Milan is a key destination – and alongside Paris maybe – the hotspot from a fashion and luxury and lifestyle point of view in Europe,” she told FN.

The Milan store’s ground floor displays running gear, sneakers and new arrivals, while its lower floor is home to the brand’s lifestyle selection. The basement features a central square, dedicated to community gatherings, conversations and activations intended to lure brand fans and customers into the store via “non-transactional” activities.

The 5200-square-foot unit was designed by Milan-based architectural studio BBPR to maintain the unit’s historical blueprint, which is defined by the interaction between the indoor space and the outdoors with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the street’s arcaded walkway. The space previously housed a Gap store, FN reports.