On Opening Global Flagship in New York City
On, the buzzy Swiss footwear brand, is opening its first global flagship in New York’s SoHo neighborhood and the store boasts lots of bells and whistles.
The 1,630-square-foot store at 363 Lafayette Street features a technologically driven approach to the in-person store experience that is intended to speak to the needs of today’s customers. “This is a new age and people don’t come to a store anymore for transactions,” said On cofounder David Allemann. “They come for interaction.”
So the centerpiece of the On NYC store is a Magic Wall — a 62 x 9 x 3-foot wall that allows shoppers to analyze their running style through the use of hidden-gait analysis technology to find the best shoes for their feet and form. The technology features a custom-built invisible foot scanner with depth cameras that provide a recommendation for the right size based on a data base of more than 50,000 runners. Three models will be suggested for each person.
Allemann called the Magic Wall a “huge glowing object” that is also visible from the street and will draw people inside. Those who don’t feel like running for three seconds along the wall can also be analyzed by holding their foot steady on the floor.
Allemann believes this technology can guard against the “messy” way shoes are traditionally tried on. Customers are generally not sure of their size or the model that is best for them, so they work with a sales associate who will “vanish for five minutes” and come back with arms full of boxes that soon clutter the salesfloor. This technology avoids that process.
Once the size and model are determined, customers walk to the back of the Magic Wall where every model, size and color that On offers is stocked. He said that more than 1,000 pairs of shoes are stocked at all times. At checkout, an adviser will bring out a fresh pair and finish the sale through a seamless, contactless purchase.
Behind the Magic Wall, changing rooms are available to test On’s apparel collection, which is stocked in all sizes and colors. The try-on rooms were designed to be reminiscent of the Swiss Alps, complete with a signature alpine scent and sounds intended to complement the experience.
Upon exiting On NYC, shoppers will pass a life-size, 3-D-printed boulder that was scanned directly from the Engadin Valley in the Swiss Alps. To find out how the boulder was made, or to get more details on any of the products, shoppers can hold their smartphones up to the object for access more information using NFC technology.
There is also an installation of clouds that inflate and deflate to showcase how the brand’s running shoes are created. “It’s a very physical explanation of our technology,” he said.
On was founded 10 years ago by former professional triathlete Olivier Bernhard, who approached his friends Allemann and Caspar Coppetti about reengineering a running shoe to create a different sort of running sensation. The concept he was seeking was a cushioned landing and explosive takeoff, or what they describe as “running on clouds.”
In addition, the On NYC store also allows customers to schedule a virtual shopping appointment and product will be sent to their homes or offices within two to four hours to try on before purchasing.
“Ten years ago, we set out to revolutionize the running experience. Today, we’ve reinvented the retail experience,” Allemann said. “With design and technology at the forefront, On NYC will empower shoppers to engage with our products in an entirely new way. This year more than ever, people have found solace and joy in running. That’s why, in many ways, there has never been a better time for us to open our first global flagship store in a city that we’re confident will remain the shopping capital of the world.”
In a Zoom interview from Switzerland, Allemann said although the brand was founded in that country, it’s “a tiny place with only eight million people.” Many native brands, primarily in the watch business, have had enormous success branching out to the U.S., so when considering where the first store should be located, On immediately settled on New York.
“One year after we started, we went to the U.S. and landed in New York,” he said. Since then, the brand has amassed a community of some 12 million runners who have embraced the brand — a large number of whom are in New York.
The store is intended to reflect On’s heritage as a brand that steps out of the comfort zone of many of its competitors. “Our DNA is to rethink things,” Allemann said. The team had been working on the technology that would be used in the store for quite some time, he said, adding that the pre-pandemic plan was to open the store in early summer.
Beyond this unit, Allemann said there are no immediate plans to add stores — On is primarily a wholesale brand that counts 6,000 retail stores as customers — but if the New York flagship is successful, it will serve as a prototype for others.
“We will use this store to test and learn. If this works and speaks to our community,” he said, “then it will travel.” Tops on the list would be London, other parts of Europe, Tokyo and Shanghai.
On is the top-selling running shoe brand in Switzerland, and has gained a foothold in the lifestyle market in the U.S. During the pandemic, the brand moved up the launch of its Cloud Nova lifestyle shoe to capitalize on the “mass casualization” of a world working from home and spending time outdoors. It also got a boost last fall when Roger Federer became an investor in the brand, involved in product development, marketing and fan experiences. He has also been a representative for the brand.
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