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The Nixon watch retail experience that's making waves

Nixon
NixonBrand ExperiencesFashion & ApparelUKAustraliaNew YorkLondon

Objective: Design a retail store concept that breaks with convention and drives a new era of DTC growth for the brand.

Nixon is a brand that is not afraid to push the boundaries of what’s possible. From its humble beginnings as a boutique watch line, to becoming the go-to activewear brand for surfers, freedivers and creatives - the next step in Nixon’s brand vision was to redefine premium watch retail design altogether.

Moving away from the traditional store design format of stuffy glass cabinets, we worked with their team to create a truly original customer experience design where the watches are lifted out from behind the glass. Not only did this break down barriers to product engagement in-store, it led to multiple visual merchandising and retail design awards for their synonymous ‘wave table’. Bringing the brand experience together, the interior design concept nods to surf shacks and skate culture throughout, creating a retail design identity that emotionally and subconsciously appeals to their target consumer.

Award winning retail design: we developed Nixon’s iconic design innovation, the ‘wave table’ - which allows for secure but visually arresting retail merchandising. Collections literally ‘bob’ on undulating product plinths, creating subconscious associations to surf culture.
Sneaker wall-style retail displays: Taking a cross-category design approach, our creative retail interior design creates a tactile experience where customers can easily interact with products.

Localised retail service design: The Nixon customization bar is where you can create a custom-built watch with an expert artisan. Each bar has its own retail design identity, with the New York store mimicking a skate bowl, while the Sydney store is inspired by a mechanics workshop.

A global brand experience with local relevance

Being the brand’s first global retail design concept, we created it with a purpose to achieve brand recognition and differentiation, whilst allowing each store to be able to localise it’s retail design language. Authentically connecting the brand’s retail experience with each city’s local sub culture, anywhere from London to NYC and Sydney.

Made-to-order: A market first, all standalone Nixon retail service design offer same-day, custom-built watches for their creative and active consumer base.
Making waves: our global retail design agency broke all the boundaries with Nixon’s first global store concept which launched with a Flagship in Paris.
A retail design tour-de-force: To launch Nixon's sell-out Star Wars collection, our brand communications and content creation team designed impactful product all-bays and 'lightsaber' window installations.
Creative retail activations: post-store openings, we created a series of bespoke global window campaigns and eye-catching product launch activations in-store.
Synonymous with surf culture: we took Nixon’s creative retail interior design concept to the heart of Sydney's Bondi Beach as part of the brands global expansion.

Talk to the team about boutique watch store design

If you're curious about how our London design studio creates award winning retail design concepts, let's talk. You can also head over to our work page to explore more of our creative customer experience designs and brand experience case studies. For the latest design insights and creative inspiration, read our Wonder blog or connect with us on LinkedIn today.

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