French-Brazilian sustainable tennis brand Veja opens its first flagship store in New York. It will be the brand first time in a United States location, and it will open its doors just three months after the opening of the Paris flagship store.
The store is located at 205 Mulberry Street, where it was previously the home of Creatures of Comfort, one of the best concept stores in New York. The store will not only offer every style and color of the famous Veja sneakers, but will also be a space to host lectures, talks and to work as a rendez-vous point.
“The chosen location on Mulberry Street has the same feeling of the Parisian neighborhoods that we consider to be our home. In this store we go beyond retail to launch projects, we believe in helping people to connect with cool and meaningful initiatives “, says François-Ghislain Morillion , Veja co-founder.
Sébastien Kopp and Morillion felt in love with NoLita over 10 years ago, while exploring New York City with friends. At the invitation of their friend JR, in their studio in NY, they developed Veja in this location and learned to love the neighborhood.
Their team worked to create a simple, minimal and refined space without any waste. They collaborated with NY architect Paul Van Der Grient, from WXY Studio.
Leaving the space in a raw aesthetic is the way we have always seen it. Most brands change everything when settling into a new store. It is heartbreaking to see all the building materials and previous furniture that are thrown away. We think the opposite: the store of the future will be very simple. We like to feel the place history. To us, a wooden floor tells a story, not to mention that it is much more environmentally friendly to try to keep everything that is in good condition,” says Sébastien Kopp, Veja co-founder.
In addition to the reclaimed building materials, the store’s electricity is wind powered and 100% renewable.
Some exclusive design elements in the space include neon pieces created by Brazilian fine artist Kleber Matheus. A video display to the left of the store shares the brand’s history and mission in order to show the entire process of making a shoe – from innovative materials to fair wages that are the core of Veja’s DNA.
In addition to retail, the store will house monthly panels, discussions and actions focusing on transparency, climate initiatives and sustainability. The program will start in April.
