The site at Oxford Circus became available because of the well-publicised problems at Arcadia as it was previously the Miss Selfridge flagship. That brand has now moved to share space with portfolio-mate Topshop. The store’s proximity to destination stores like Niketown and Topshop adds further to the appeal of the location, but Vans has been pulling out all the stops to make it a destination in its own right.
It plays host to a Customs Lab, where consumers can “creatively express themselves by customising their purchases,” we’re told. Vans’ in-store artists will be on hand to assist in the process, offering a wide range of artistic tools that can be used to personalise any of the store’s products on sale and alongside men’s, women’s and kids’ apparel and footwear, the company also said the space will “be the go-to destination for Vans pro-skate and surf ranges”.
The opening is part of a wider approach to the UK market that sees the brand transforming its retail estate. It has been revamping its existing stores, including the nearby Carnaby Street location, and it opened a first-of-its-kind boutique store in Covent Garden last month.
The official opening date of the Oxford Circus store coincides with the brand’s Checkerboard Day, a global marketing and charity initiative. The company runs the event each year to “champion and inspire creative expression globally and provide fans the opportunity to participate in creative activations and give back to organisations that support creative expression”.
