As part of the 125th anniversary celebrations of the Swiss Army Knife, its parent company Victorinox (Ibach-Schwyz, Switzerland) has opened a new flagship store, at 388 Oxford St. in London’s West End.
The new store’s design concept brings together the Victorinox values of quality, functionality, innovation and iconic design with refined details, according to a case study posted on the website of Dalziel & Pow (London), the project’s retail designer.
“The 1800-square-foot store houses the full Victorinox product lines of travel gear, watches, pocketknives, kitchen knives, and perfume, giving visitors the chance to shop for their urban, at-home, and outdoor adventures in one destination across two floors with a dedicated floor to the brand’s iconic Swiss Army Knives and cutlery,” that study says.
The space also features personalization stations allow visitors to assemble their own Swiss Army Knife and have it customized to their liking, while the other products are displayed in a manner allowing shoppers to engage and interact with them.
“The brand’s industrial roots are emphasized with brushed steel used across key fixtures and fittings,” the designers said. “The brand’s connection to its Swiss roots and nature is amplified and interpreted into the design with floor to ceiling windows, allowing natural light to penetrate in, and natural birch wood playing a key role in the design with reeded plywood wood paneling wrapping internal areas of the store and drawing shoppers upstairs.”
Victorinox CEO Carl Elsener told Dalziel & Pow he is thrilled with the store’s design. “It authentically reflects our positioning as a premium brand and provides our customers with a unique brand experience,” he said.
An in-depth look at the new store will be offered in an upcoming print edition of VMSD.