schuh Oxford Circus is the fourth store to receive a refit in the highly successful ‘twentyTWENTY’ store concept, following the launch in Livingston last year. Designed to capture the primary youth consumer, the concept is not only a digital and experiential first design, but a practical and dynamic trading environment.
Designed by Briggs Hillier, the schuh Oxford Circus store has been transformed, switching from a 2 floor trading footprint into a significantly enlarged ground floor area with a completely new layout to create an open, fluid and flexible space that allows the store to ‘breath’. Ceiling heights have been extended and perimeter walls pushed back to optimise the sales floor and create a greater opportunity for brand storytelling, whilst also bringing more stockroom space into the old basement sales floor and a new vertical conveyor to significantly improve speed of service.
As signifies the twentyTWENTY concept, the overall store environment is defined by a series of illuminated arches that result in a powerful presentation of the branded footwear offer and bring horizontal fluidity to the space.
A bespoke and interchangeable merchandising system extends between the arches and consists moveable components that maximise store flexibility, including multi-functional plinths used for product display, mirrors, window plinths and kiosk payment stations.
A ‘Hero cube’ also forms part of the merchandising system; This is positioned at the front of the store and is designed as a walk-through, interactive space to accommodate brand takeovers, activations and exclusive in-store events.
Earlier this year schuh formalised Purpose Pillars that support the brand’s culture of diversity, self-expression and inclusivity, the pillars include Mental Health Awareness, LGBTQ+, Fostering Young Talent and Sustainability. The central column, with seating wrapped around the base, will also be utilised to house artwork that represents these topics. Provided by local artists throughout the year, this artwork will be capturing the creativity and vibrancy of the city while enhancing schuh’s commitment is to continually better their understanding and deliver regular initiatives for these important subjects.
A large-scale digital screen acts as an anchor point to the rear and is supported by multiple, fully-flexible digital screens positioned within the perimeter walls, all used to capture shoppers attention by displaying trend-driven influencer content and brand campaign messaging. Digital content also extends to the fascia with a large-scale screen spanning the right-hand window creating a seamless transition when entering into the store.
On-trend sportswear collections take centre stage positioned in the front half of the store merchandised by brand, moving away from traditional men’s and women’s categorisation.
The new schuh, Oxford Circus store opened on Friday 28th of February, with the roll-out continuing across all new schuh sites. Briggs Hillier have also created a new ‘schuh kid’s’ store concept to align with the twentyTWENTY format; the first new concept schuh kid’s store will open in Livingston at the end of March.
