Victorinox’s New Flagship “Is a Showcase for What Is Possible”

OXFORD STREET IN London isn’t dead. Despite the challenges – and retail casualties – of the last three years, one of the most famous shopping avenues on the planet is now boasting a new lease of life thanks to the rejuvenation of the physical store experience.

This page: Swiss knifemaker Victorinox opened its latest flagship on London’s famed Oxford Street.

This hyperphysical retail is multi-sensory, brand-building and pushing the boundaries of what shopping can be. Exactly what luxury Swiss knife manufacturer and watchmaker Victorinox is communicating with its new London flagship, located near Selfridges at the west end of Oxford Street.

“The store design is a careful alignment of the brand and its reflection as a modern Swiss brand, with its move to a more modern urban positioning. This creates a contemporary yet timeless space,” says Marcus King, Creative Director at Dalziel & Pow (London) and lead on this project. “The concept’s clean lines and birch ply showcases give a clarity of presentation across the brand’s categories and range, alongside a balance of hands-on discovery, engagement and education.”

The aesthetic is industrial, led by brushed steel fittings and milky birch wood, with floor-to-ceiling windows that let in light for a natural feel. The brand’s personality peeps through in accent red across signage, shelving and graphics. A corkscrew staircase invites customers to explore and product is placed at a reachable height for a tactile experience. While it exudes luxury, “the space brings calm, clarity and order to this busy and often chaotic street,” says King.

Right: Pops of bright red hues grab attention among the store’s birch wood interior.
📷: Courtesy of Victorinox

The 1819-square-foot store is home to more than just the iconic pocketknife and watches, it’s also a space to shop travel gear, kitchen knives and even perfume, covering home, urban and rural retail. Even in London, there’s simply no competition.

“Whilst Victorinox is across multiple product categories, it’s the Swiss Army Knife that is its iconic product and there is nothing similar at this scale. I can’t think of another brand with so many solutions to everyday challenges. This store is a showcase for what is possible,” says King.

To draw customers into the brand’s world further, the store features a personalization station where customers can assemble their own customized Swiss Army Knife. It’s this thoughtful touch that turns a Victorinox product from a practical purchase to a personal keepsake. “This store is a celebration of an understated brand. Once you discover it, you are instantly hooked by the passion and ingenuity,” says King.

It’s more than just a product – more, even, than just brand storytelling. It’s incorporating the brand into your lifestyle before you’ve even left the shop floor. Dalziel & Pow’s realization of the Victorinox brand in this space is a world-class example of the leaps of imagination taking place to transform the meaning of what a retail store can be.

This page: Personalization services in store help build brand loyalty; here customers can customize their own Swiss Army Knife.

PHOTO GALLERY (22 IMAGES)
📷: Courtesy of Victorinox