First Look: Nike debuts another new store concept

The world’s first Nike Style store is now open.

The athletic apparel and footwear giant unveiled its new format in Seoul, South Korea, with a second location to open in Shanghai in the fall.  Following the initial doors, Nike plans to expand the concept to other countries.

Blurring the lines between physical shopping and digital, Nike Style is part retail, part creative studio.  It also blurs the lines between the sexes, with gender-free lifestyle product zones for fleece, tops, sport lifestyle footwear and accessories, along with locally curated collections.  In the “Nike By You Zone,” customers can personalize, create an upcycle existing items into one-of-a-kind pieces. Throughout the space, QR codes offer augmented reality experiences related to Nike product innovation and surrounding art installations.

Nike Style features a “Content Studio” where local creatives, product experts and shoppers can create content for their social media channels with a customizable backdrops. The store will also offer events that celebrate local sneaker culture in the “SNKRS Lounge.”

Nike Style is located in Seoul’s Hongdae neighborhood, known for its art, music, dance and fashion culture. The store façade showcases a collection of hand-drawn Swooshes created by local members of Nike’s loyalty club.

“The Hongdae neighborhood holds a strong relationship with the sneaker and neighborhood-retail community,” Nike stated. “With the Style retail concept, Nike helps broaden the aperture of sport retail culture by continuing to blend physical and digital experiences.”

Nike has used the city of Seoul as the launchpad for new retail concepts, including Nike Rise, which opened last August. Other new concepts launched by Nike include the House of Innovation, and Nike Live. 

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