Project Category: Footwear

Kizik Pop-up

MG2 has been working closely with digital-native, direct-to-consumer footwear brand Kizik to bring its hands-free technology to brick-and-mortar. Kizik’s experiential pop-up on Greene Street in New York’s SoHo neighborhood introduced the brand for the first time to a New York audience—consumers, traditional media, and influencers. 

At the entrance of the space, a “conveyor belt” display of footwear led to the brand’s AHA moment, a “hands-free try-on” experience to determine fit and size. The entire process of shopping the pop-up was frictionless. A full range of styles were displayed and drop shipping allowed consumers to purchase their shoes without the hassle and inconvenience of lugging them around the city.

Motion, visualized through dynamic lighting, was a theme throughout the pop-up. Digital screens conveyed Kizik’s new tagline: “Motion is magic.” After engaging with the brand, consumers were invited to unlock a mystery door at the back of the store which led to an illuminated portal. An immersive and interactive color display allowed them to use their bodies to create a personalized light show. 

The Kizik pop-up provided an immersive experience that evoked a sense of endless possibilities, showcasing the magic of motion. Originally scheduled to run for one weekend, the pop-up was so successful, it was extended an additional five weeks.

Press Coverage

Kizik Specialty Stores

In collaboration with Kizik, MG2 has been charged with introducing the “hands-free, step-in” footwear brand into physical stores. After its New York City pop-up, Kizik opened stores across the U.S. including Mall of America (Minneapolis), King of Prussia (Philadelphia), and Newbury Street (Boston). These new locations are not only a physical manifestation of the brand but also bring to life a high-sensory fit experience and showcase the brand’s new “motion is magic” design. 

Kizik blue is prominent, both on the exterior and interior of the store. A blue portal entry encompasses both a blue archway and pathway that leads to the store’s primary display to create a threshold moment. The key design principle of the Kizik brick-and-mortar experience is fitting the customer in a pair of shoes as early in the journey as possible. It’s an AHA moment that captures and celebrates the magic of the brand.

Floor-to-ceiling vitrines flank the portal to create Kizik’s signature “fishbowl” storefront, which allows passers-by to see into the space and take part in the store experience. Motion is an important part of the Kizik brand, and digital screens are placed prominently throughout. The “motion is magic” tagline is abstractly reinforced through circular pendants, half-circle benches and fixtures, gradient wall treatments, and mirrored graphics that reflect consumers as they move about the space. 

These stores were designed to be modular and flexible. Elevated, versatile displays capture a sense of motion to create an environment that empowers visitors to discover and explore. Modular systems allow Kizik to morph and change as it continues to grow and expand. Shelving can be moved up, down or removed entirely. Central displays can be reconfigured to form a variety of patterns. Standout design elements include the store’s materiality—a juxtaposition of surfaces including perforated metals, concrete, and textured paints with LED neon and vibrant blue. 

The result is inviting and visually engaging spaces that captivate and draw in the eye, enhancing the overall aesthetic and reinforcing the brand identity.

Press Coverage

Terminal 106

MG2 recently transformed a 23,000+ SF Port of Seattle Regional Office, originally built as a railroad shipping facility in 1952, into a space fit for a 21st-century workforce. Converted to office use in the ‘90s, the dated space has been completely redesigned as an open, airy workplace with an industrial feel. A nine-foot drop ceiling was removed, and solar tubes were added to the double-height ceiling to provide much-needed natural light to pour in.

This Federal Agency Office renovation also included implementing federal security requirements for a 24-hour government facility. Additional tenant improvements consisted of a training center, full gym, locker room, and dining area.

Leica

Leica Camera is an international, premium manufacturer of cameras and sports optics. The legendary reputation of the Leica brand is based on a long tradition of excellent quality, German craftsmanship and German industrial design, combined with innovative technologies. 

Leica has identified North America as a key growth region for the brand and, as a result, is embarking on growing its store presence over the next few years. By partnering with MG2, the brand is launching this initiative with the opening of new stores in Bellevue, WA and a New York City flagship. MG2 is engaged as the full service architect, helping the client translate the design intent to adapt to the unique attributes of each site location while sourcing regionally. The project delivery scope includes design development, FF&E sourcing and procurement, construction documents, permitting, and construction project management.

Leica NYC
Leica NYC
Leica NYC
Leica Bellevue
Leica Bellevue
Leica Bellevue

Press Coverage

Awards

SOREL

SOREL, a renowned brand, opened a pop-up shop in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood in 2023 as part of its strategy to expand its brand presence. To achieve this, the company partnered with MG2 to create a pop-up shop that will help drive awareness, customer engagement, sales, and marketing integration data for future strategies. This pop-up shop also marks the brand’s 50th anniversary of the iconic Caribou silhouette.

The bold storefront features full saturation of the brand’s signature color – “Optimized Orange” –  a life-size polar bear featuring local art, and illuminated custom signage that provides a peek into the pop-up experience. The team leveraged augmented reality tech to enhance the in-store experience, including a full-body mirror-sized screen that customers can stand in front of to interact with various weather effects. This innovative approach to retail design showcases SOREL’s commitment to providing customers with an immersive and memorable shopping experience.

The AR Mirror with various branded filters and experiences is also visible from the street.
The boot customization charm bar allows shoppers to add charms, chains, and bands to their shoes.

Video provided by SOREL.

Press Coverage

Awards

Hush Puppies

Scalable on-brand retail solutions for a global icon

Footwear towers to flagship stores: Unifying a brand across 3,000 retail spaces

Iconic since its inception, Hush Puppies has spent decades redefining the meaning of comfort, inspiring the embrace of color, and establishing itself as one of the world’s most recognizable footwear brands.

Having adopted an optimistic new visual identity and innovative approach toward technology, Hush Puppies partnered with MG2 to translate its new ideals into a modular retail format and global design guidelines.

With a standardized toolkit of modular design options, Hush Puppies retail partners have the flexibility to curate and scale store spaces while always remaining on-brand.

Artfully blending facilitation and collaboration with rapid productivity

Retail experts at MG2 facilitated collaborative explorations with stakeholders on both sides to examine challenges and find solutions to strike a balance between the needs of individual stores and the needs of the business. From there, they worked together to quickly and simultaneously design a flexible merchandising kit-of-parts as well as develop documented brand benchmarks to ensure that every Hush Puppies experience, from standalone footwear towers to global destination experiences, have the same identity and personality.

Countless scalable combinations, one iconic brand

With a toolkit of on-brand modular design options and standards, Hush Puppies retail partners around the world have the flexibility to choose from a carefully curated, scalable combination of fixtures, flooring, shelving, furniture, lighting, ceiling baffles, environmental graphic designs (EGD), monitor display graphics, and more, all adaptable to specific locations and budgets.

In addition to concurrently designing three unique full-scale store formats, five shop-in-shop formats, and developing tiered standards for fixtures and furnishings, MG2 leveraged talents from its branding team to bring to life unique EGD, wayfinding, and signage, including a hand-illustrated wall covering featuring Jason: Hush Puppies’ iconic basset hound mascot.

These playful, vibrant elements can be found throughout Hush Puppies’ latest concept store in Jakarta, Indonesia: the brand’s first implementation of its new global retail design guidelines. The experience also includes a variety of technology-driven retail touch points, ranging from augmented reality games to Instagram Live shopping events, that help the company connect with a new generation of customers.

Packer x Asics

For US Open 2016, Packer x Asics opened up shop in Grand Central Station with a limited collection.

Goal

To generate awareness and sales for the first exclusive launch of Packer Shoes x Asics and Mitchell & Ness capsule collections.

MG2

Packer Shoes contracted MG2 for their 4th Pop-Up Store in NYC. With the goal of capturing U.S. Open-based media and foot traffic, MG2 secured Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Station and was the lead project management team for the #GAMESETMATCH activation.

Outcome

Located at the pinnacle of passerby traveling from NYC to Arthur Ashe stadium, the 3-day pop-up captured thousands of visitors daily and was featured in major industry publications including SneakerNews, HypeBeast, Sole Collector, and more.

Vans Downtown LA

Scalable on-brand retail solutions for a global icon

After 54 years of calling Southern California home, classic skateboard and surf icon Vans embarked on a journey to create their first community-driven retail and event space in Downtown Los Angeles. A longtime partner in Irvine, CA, and now primary firm in North America, MG2 worked closely with the Vans team on designing their newest and largest flagship, creating an elevated hybrid experience environment that goes above and beyond, signifying a new era for the brand.

Occupying three floors of the historic Singer Building, House of Vans needed to be meticulously designed with optimized vertical navigation and overlapping pathways to ensure a seamless customer experience. Also essential was the implementation of unique, above-and-beyond elements, such as a kitchen and mobile bar, that would require navigating the complexities of local permits and compliances to include in their hybrid retail space.

With a standardized toolkit of modular design options, Hush Puppies retail partners have the flexibility to curate and scale store spaces while always remaining on-brand.

“Our Downtown LA store opening signifies a new Vans chapter as we continue our mission and commitment to being community and experience focused.”

Carly Gomez, VP of Marketing Americas, Vans

After working together for years, MG2 acted as the primary architecture partner for House of Vans DTLA: their largest and most ambitious flagship to date at 11,500 sq/ft. This intimate knowledge of and partnership with their brand allowed for seamless transparency, trust, and collaboration throughout the duration of the project.

The team acted as a sounding board, facilitator, and champion for structure functionality, materials, costs, and branding efforts throughout the space’s design. With the advantage of being local to the area, MG2 was deeply familiar with and able to traverse the intricacies of city permit and compliance logistics.

Holding true to their dedication to sustainability, and in direct reflection of Vans’ brand values, we utilized as many raw materials, elements of the original historic building, and sustainable energy fixtures throughout the space as possible.

Adorned in plywood, concrete, chain link, local art, and Van’s signature black and white checkerboard, the new environment holistically reflects their SoCal heritage and attitude, while allowing them space to broaden their demographic beyond skating and surfing and appeal to the next generation of consumers.

Over the course of the project, the team observed first-hand the excitement and enthusiasm from local government and consumers alike for Vans to revitalize this previously abandoned space and help reinfuse art, music, and culture back into the historic neighborhood.

Currently the largest Vans space in the world—and second largest experimental retail space in the neighborhood—House of Vans DTLA opened to the public in spring of 2020 and features fresh work from local artists, a dedicated community experience studio, and of course, a wide range of exclusive Vans footwear, apparel, and accessories.

Vans

Translating an iconic brand across borders

The Vans brand celebrates individuality and the culture of outdoor sports like skating, surfing, snowboarding, and BMX biking. In expanding in Mexico and other markets, VF Corporation needed to translate the Vans store concept into new store designs that reinforce the iconic brand with cultural sensitivity.

MG2 has collaborated with Vans to implement consistent architectural design and planning programs for more than 30 stores across North America.

In each location, the design concept is effectively tailored and efficiently implemented through MG2’s knowledge of cultural trends and the nuances of local developmental processes.

Allen Edmonds

Recrafting an American original

The iconic 96-year-old upscale shoe manufacturer and retailer, Allen Edmonds, partnered with MG2 to redesign its in-store experience to align with their rebranding initiative. The new environment fuses industrial elements (a nod to the brand’s nearly century-old “made in the USA” heritage) with modern details, accenting the artisan craftsmanship of the footwear. 

Elements of Allen Edmonds’ Port Washington, WI factory – where all its shoes are produced – are stitched into the customer experience through furnishings, finishes, and visual merchandising.

The integrated approach elevates the brand using a modern design language that feels high-end and radiates authenticity.

Allen Edmonds’ products are heirloom quality pieces that should last a lifetime if cared for properly. In that way, the value of quality and enduring style for each pair of shoes becomes immeasurable. The fresh store design from MG2 communicates that brand promise, differentiating the company to a new generation in an era of fast-fashion.

  • Project Details

  • Location Multiple locations, U.S.
  • Client Caleres, Inc.
  • Market Sectors
  • Size 1,200 SF
  • Services