Victorinox Swiss Army Knife
An Upscale Retail Experience
by Jan Wilson
The 127-year history of Victorinox, maker of the Swiss Army Knife, is characterized by perseverance and growth. The company launched an exciting new retail concept in Düsseldorf, Germany in January and recently expanded it into North America. The new stores reflect the inherent elegance of the brand while at the same time showcase the timeless utility of its products.
“What is really special about this opportunity is that the brand has been available in many stores for so long and now our company will be sharing this full retail experience with North American market,” says Jason Gallen, Vice President, Retail Operations for Victorinox. “The stores will speak to the iconic design, functionality, innovation and quality that are at the heart of Victorinox products.”
The first U.S. store opened at The Westchester in White Plains on July 1st, and the second at Copley Place in Boston in September. Throughout the remainder of the year other store openings will include The Mall at Short Hills in New Jersey, and the Beverly Center in Los Angeles. A store on Bloor Street in Toronto will open in Spring 2012. Included in the expansion is an updated store location in SoHo, says Gallen.
The company’s product offerings include timepieces, cutlery and Swiss Army Knives, travel gear, fashion and fragrances. “Stylistic metal and glass that have been branded with the iconic cross and shield of the Swiss Army form the storefront and invite the customer into an exciting environment,” says Steve Segure, Principal of Design Republic, acting as the executive architect for North America. Signature elements include seamless glass displays with floating knives, a black mirror spyglass cashwrap and backwrap, a wood wall etched with the Victorinox emblem, and an illuminated Red Cross wall with a beautiful view of the Swiss Alps signifying where the brand originates—all of which doubles as part of the fitting room assembly.
The Victorinox stores’ project team is led by seasoned project manager and owners’ representative Richard Jantz, LEED AP, Principal of Integrity Consulting Group. He notes that despite the high quality of the finishes and unique elements in each store, they are constructed in about nine weeks. “We have a comprehensive approach,” he says. “Once the project is handed off we have vendors in line, pricing completed and can get approvals in a quick manner. With the team we have assembled, it’s not a question of getting it done on time, but a question of how far ahead of schedule we will be.”
The store design concept was developed by the international firm Blocher Blocher Partners, and included some elements that were difficult to find or more costly to source in the United States. Ron Doyle, Vice President, Business
Development, of Wiedenbach-Brown, which provided lighting for the project, says, “We isolated the core of what Blocher Blocher was trying to accomplish in the design and through our efforts we located domestic product that was readily available at the specifications,” he said. “We were able to fully match the design intent and reduce costs significantly.”
The unique design of the ceilings of the stores also presented a challenge to AKF Group, the MEP engineering firm. “The initial store in Germany featured an exposed concrete structural deck with a stainless steel flat oval longitudinal seam duct which was installed as a visible and integral design aspect of the store,” says Stephen Copeland, PE, Project Manager at AKF. Maintaining the symmetry of the distribution was challenging, and Michael Stanley, Vice President of construction for the project’s construction management firm, Mackenzie Keck, said his firm worked with AKF to reduce and simplify duct runs. The firms also had to work with an adapted design for malls that required drywall ceilings. “The detail and careful integration of all of the elements in the ceiling also convey the quality and precision of the brand as well,” says Copeland.
The millwork was put into fabrication prior to taking possession of the leased space in order to meet deadlines, and many custom elements in the millwork package, such as spyglass cases, cannot be modified in the field. “We had to complete extensive surveys to make sure that the space, which was often occupied at the time, conformed to the millwork package,” says Stanley.
In the Copley Place store, Victorinox employs special casework to display its products, says Brian Falconer, Principal at Severud Associates, the structural engineers on the project. “This is museum-quality casework made with very large sheets of glass to display their products at the front of the store,” he says. “It’s a glass curtain that is tied into the façade and not something you typically see in a retail environment.”
The signage program for the stores also entices customers and further bolsters the brand. “The package includes dynamic painted graphics of their iconic Swiss Army Knife; large format illuminated signage of the cross and shield as well as complicated interaction of materials to complete the vision. We are pleased to be such an integral part of the brand presentation,” says Amrit Babudial, Art Director, Capital Signs.
As Victorinox continues to expand its North American presence, Jantz says, constructing the unique stores will become even more efficient. “ICG hosted the team in our offices to understand what went well and what we could improve in the store development process. The result was a 20 page report that was submitted to Victorinox documenting our findings---everything from how electronic files are transferred to how many installation hours in the field affect our schedule,” he says. “The collaboration and cooperation of all of the team members ensures that the rollout will be seamless in all retail environments.”
