VF Corp opens first multibrand concept store in Milan

By

Elena Passeri

Published
Dec 2, 2020

VF Corp has opened Orefici11, its first creative and cultural hub, in Milan. A new form of expression for the group, the location focuses on experiences and discovery, and brings together the company's Timberland, The North Face and Napapijri brands in one place for the first time, seeking to identify new trends that can be developed internationally. Conceived as an innovative store where the digital and brick-and-mortar experiences meet, the location also offers exclusive products and collaborations, some involving other brands from the VF portfolio.

                                                                                                                                                          
Spread over three levels, the store measures 22,000 square feet. The ground floor houses The LAB, a space presenting exclusive product previews, capsule collections from the three brands and collaborations with other labels. Heading up to the first floor, shoppers find monobrand spaces for each of the three labels, each with their own identity. While Orefici11 is The North Face's second location in Milan, the store's opening also marks Napapajri's return to the Italian fashion capital. For Timberland, the store is its second European address, following the opening of its first store in the region, on London's Carnaby Street, last year. 

"Consumer-minded, retail-centric and hyper-digital: the transformation process of the VF business model continues. Delivering innovative solutions for consumers that relate and rely on brands that hold clear and understandable values that go far beyond their products," said Martino Scabbia Guerrini, EVP and group president for VF EMEA, in a release. 

Thanks to an innovative POS and mobile check out, the physical and digital purchasing experiences are integrated simply and seamlessly. Furthermore, the location's service offering is broad-ranging, including options such as click & collect, online reservation and from-store shipping throughout Italy, as well as the possibility for shoppers to purchase products and have them delivered to other points of sale when they are not available in their local stores. 

The architectural conception of Orefici11 seeks to pay homage to Milan's extraordinary 20th-century design heritage. Incorporating knowing references, subtle details and micro-architecture, the space was conceived under the creative direction of architect Alberto De Luca, VF's director for store development and planning in the EMEA region. Visitors to the location will therefore discover steel stairs, symbols of Milan's industrial DNA, but also green ceramic tiles representing the architectural experimentation of the 60s, as well as the emblematic concrete bollards typical of Milan's urban architecture.