DDi - October 2012 - (Page 25)

| 25 Photos: Richard Booth The lightweight, lighthearted footwear-maker opens a new global flagship By Janet Groeber Opposite page: More than 50 Crocs clogs have been placed in color-blocked profile on the store’s rear wall. Above: Fully stocked spinner displays are grab-and-go ready with forward-facing hanging pairs of seasonal styles. I t’s been 10 years since Crocs, creator of the now world-renowned slip-on clog, stepped onto the fashion stage and took a bite of the multibillion-dollar footwear market. Since then, the Niwot, Colo.-based manufacturer has sold more than 150 million pairs of lightweight, comfortable shoes made of its flexible, proprietary Croslite material. Today, there are more than 300 styles of clogs, flip-flops, sandals, heels, wedges, boots, licensed products and even lace-up golf shoes. They are sold online, in department and specialty stores, and through 180 company-owned stores and kiosks operating in 129 countries. Crocs sells more than 40 million pairs of shoes annually, with about half of its revenue coming from its classic clog silhouette, a widely popular unisex shoe. The Crocs name is synonymous with its colorful clog, so it’s no wonder the entire back wall of its new 1,400-sq.-ft. flagship is devoted to its ubiquitous top performer. “Love it or hate it, this company was built on the clog,” says David Curtis, Crocs’ director of global store planning and design. “It’s part of our heritage, and we decided to embrace it.” The flagship, which debuted in June in southeast London’s Bluewater Shopping Centre, is part of the brand’s expansion strategy for bricks-and-mortar retail stores. For the new store, Curtis says the company wanted to give the clog a focal place in the store, “but also try to elevate the product itself and make it appear a little more premium.” To do that, more than 50 clogs have been placed in color-blocked profile on the niche wall. Behind each shoe is a pullout drawer housing backstock, allowing the display to also function as a storage unit. The large focal wall is dramatically lit to draw customers through the store, which is zoned women’s, men’s and kids. The higher-end merchandising technique of the rear wall indeed elevates the brand by going beyond Crocs’ wholesale model that typically uses www.ddionline.com http://www.ddionline.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of DDi - October 2012

DDi - October 2012
Contents
From the Editor
From the Show Director
Newsworthy
Shopper Insights
Visual Perspectives
Editor’s Choice
Design Snapshot
Crocs
When a brand becomes a retailer
POPAI’s 2012 Shopper Engagement Study
Lord & Taylor
Joe Fresh
State of the Retail Design Industry Survey 2012
RIght Light
In-Store Technology
Product Spotlight
Calendar
Advertisers
Classifieds
Shopping with Paco

DDi - October 2012