Shades of Grey: New Balance Oxford Street Reimagined
New Balance’s Oxford Street flagship has undergone a dramatic transformation as part of a new global design strategy by Universal Design Studio and sister practice Map Project Office.
The overhaul casts the store in almost ten distinct shades of the sportswear brand’s signature grey, accented with touches of deep red.
GALLERY
The refreshed interior aims to position New Balance as “the most boutique athletic brand in the world” by bridging the gap between craft and sport. “We seek to elevate athleticwear into boutique territory, intentionally blurring the lines between fashion, lifestyle and performance,” explained the design team. “The diversity of grey, from warm to cool, rich to light, has been expressed through stained timbers, reflective metals, semi-translucent resins and textured paints.”
Gloss finishes and sheer textures capture a sense of movement, while refined metal profiles and diffused reds guide customers to key brand moments. The London store is now divided into distinct zones showcasing the brand’s collections alongside areas dedicated to local releases.
Upon entry, visitors are met with the Stage, a flexible display space curated to reflect the city’s sporting and cultural calendar. This can shift from marathon-inspired installations to décor celebrating high-profile concerts. The design team sees these stores as “platforms to connect people through the joy of movement and the emotion of sport, while promoting craft through uncompromising attention to detail.”
To differentiate lifestyle and performance offerings, Universal Design Studio created two distinct identities. The Fit For Performance zone, aimed at elite and everyday athletes, features anodised aluminium displays, mirrored surfaces, sculptural seating and linear ceiling baffles that evoke perpetual motion. Red-gradient back panels in fluted mirrored displays further enhance this dynamic effect.
The Fit For You zone offers a softer, more domestic atmosphere for lifestyle products, using wood, leather and bullnose detailing on shelves and tables. Red-stained timber tables spotlight hero pieces, complemented by an intimate lighting scheme.
In the basement, the Made in UK area is immersed in dark red and dedicated to showcasing British-made releases, past and present. It also serves as an event space for special celebrations. Continuing the theme of movement, Map designed a series of store-wide flags, creating a unifying visual element across New Balance’s global retail network.
Images via Dezeen
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