Veja opens first U.S. flagship in New York City

Veja has landed in the U.S. The Parisian sneaker brand has opened its first-ever permanent brick-and-mortar location in the country, a flagship store in New York City.

"We thought it was the right time to open our first stateside store so we can display the whole collection," the brand's co-founder Sébastien Kopp explained to FashionUnited. "It’s also very exciting to start a new project in a country that we love with energy that is aligned with our own.

New York City seemed to be the right choice for Veja's first U.S. store as it felt its consumer base in the city was the strongest. The brand has already had a presence in New York through retail partners including Nordstrom and Kith. Its flagship will now allow Veja to present its full collection to New York shoppers.

Located at a Nolita retail space that previously housed concept store Creatures of Comfort, the new Veja flagship is decorated with a minimalist and refined aesthetic. It keeps with the brand's limited waste ethos, as demonstrated by the simplicity in design and use of 100 percent renewable energy to power the store.

“To leave the space rough is the way we always saw it,” Kopp said. “Lots of brands change everything when they settle into a store. It is heartbreaking to see all the materials and furniture that gets thrown away. We think the opposite: the store of the future will be very simple. We like to feel the history of the place. For us, a used wooden floor tells a story, and it’s also far more ecological to try to keep everything.”

Veja opens new NYC store as a collaborative meeting space

The flagship offers every style and colorway of Veja's product line, while also serving as a "hub for conversation and gathering."

In addition to its retail element, the flagship will be home to initiatives intended to help consumers connect with each other and with the brand. Veja will host monthly panels, discussions and activations in the store, with programming beginning in April 2020. These events will focus on themes of transparency, climate initiatives, and sustainability. Programming will begin in April.

Images: Brian Ferry