Best of Retail 2025 Outdoor and Performance Brands From Across the Globe

At the beginning of 2025, we published an article that reflected on why big brands are still opening physical retail spaces in an era dominated by e-commerce. And 2025 did not disappoint in terms of new retail openings. From flagships to pop-up, we saw big brands not only opening new retail spaces across the globe, but also heavily investing in the customer experience.

Retail spaces have become and will continue to be all about the experience of shopping. The days of the product being the hero are over. Especially in the outdoor and performance space, the customer is the hero, the brand is meant to be their best friend, and retail spaces are a place where the two meet to connect.

For our Best of Retail 2025 roundup, we looked closely at the new locations outdoor and performance brands opened this past year and that stood out for doing things exceptionally well. From unique fitting room experiences to huge flagships that bring the outdoors inside, these retail spaces pushed beyond standard formats and invested in design decisions that elevated the customer experience.

Best Welcome Moment: HOKA Michigan Ave, Chicago

HOKA Michigan Ave takes home Best Welcome Moment for its entry experience that immediately pulls customers into the brand’s world. The custom, large-scale artwork featuring runners in motion does more than make a visual statement; it sets the tone for what the brand stands for before a customer even looks at a product. The energy, movement, and scale create an instant sense of momentum that feels unmistakably HOKA.

What truly elevates this moment is how seamlessly community and localization are woven into the design. Rather than relying on generic branding, the entry reflects the city’s running culture and reinforces HOKA’s deep connection to the people who use its products every day. The result is a welcome that feels intentional, immersive, and rooted in place, inviting customers to step inside, slow down, and engage with the brand on a more personal level.

Best Use of Biophilia: Salomon Sportstyle Melrose Ave

Salomon Sportstyle Melrose Ave earns Best Use of Biophilia for the way it blends natural elements with minimalist design to create a serene yet energizing retail environment. Rather than trying to create displays that mimic the outdoors, like some of the impressive flagships you’ll see featured, they artfully play with bringing natural elements inside. You’ll see grasses, literal rocks, and a beautiful centerpiece featured to create an environment that feels calm, grounded, and inviting.

From living accents to thoughtfully selected natural finishes and abundant daylight, every choice enhances visual comfort and creates a sense of harmony between the built environment and the natural world. In a category full of strong contenders, Salomon’s approach stands out for being both refined and emotionally resonant. 

Best Custom Footwear Displays: BIRKENSTOCK Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

BIRKENSTOCK Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, takes the win for Best Custom Footwear Displays thanks to its thoughtful mix of form, function, and restraint. The store features three distinct custom display types, each designed to guide how customers move through and engage with the space. The multi-sided tree display encourages shoppers to explore from every angle, while the horizontal birch displays subtly pull customers deeper into the store.

What truly sets these displays apart is the generous, well-considered spacing. Each style is given room to breathe, allowing the craftsmanship, materials, and design details to stand on their own. This clarity not only elevates the product but also reinforces BIRKENSTOCK’s brand values of quality, longevity, and thoughtful design, making the entire experience feel calm, premium, and highly considered.

Best Fitting Room Experience: The North Face Concept Store, Zhengzhou, China

The North Face Concept Store in Zhengzhou, China, takes the win for Best Fitting Room Experience by transforming a traditionally utilitarian space into something immersive and memorable. Instead of standard fitting rooms, the brand leans into its outdoor DNA with tent-inspired structures that immediately connect the try-on experience to exploration and adventure.

This playful yet purposeful design does more than look good; it reinforces brand identity at a critical decision-making moment. By turning fitting rooms into an extension of the brand story, The North Face creates a space that feels experiential, intuitive, and emotionally engaging, encouraging customers to spend more time in-store and connect more deeply with the product.

Best Seating Area: Arc’teryx Canberra, Australia

Arc’teryx Canberra, Australia, earns Best Seating Area by redefining what comfort looks like in a performance retail environment. The space feels intentional and refined, inviting customers to slow down while staying deeply connected to the brand’s technical and design-driven ethos.

More than just a place to sit, the seating area integrates subtle storytelling and a striking product moment, turning a moment of rest into engagement. Thoughtfully designed seating signals that customer comfort matters, and in this case, it reinforces Arc’teryx’s commitment to quality, detail, and an elevated in-store experience.

Best Customization Area: Adidas Flagship Las Vegas Blvd

The adidas Flagship on Las Vegas Boulevard takes the win for Best Customization Area by making personalization both accessible and effortless. Rather than treating customization as an add-on, adidas dedicates a prominent, well-designed space that signals its importance within the store experience.

What truly sets this area apart is clarity. From the bold “Made For You” messaging to the visual step-by-step guidance and real product examples displayed on the walls, customers can immediately understand the process without needing staff assistance. The result is a customization experience that feels intuitive, empowering, and seamlessly integrated into the overall retail journey.

Best New Flagship: The North Face Fifth Avenue, New York

The North Face’s newest flagship on Fifth Avenue earns the title of Best New Flagship for its bold synthesis of scale, storytelling, and experiential design. This expansive space goes beyond transactional retail; it’s a destination where brand narrative, performance innovation, and community intersect in thoughtful ways.

From striking product moments to immersive brand expressions, the store leverages its iconic location to amplify what The North Face stands for: rugged exploration, thoughtful design, and connection to the outdoor lifestyle. Every area feels purposeful, from curated category zones to experiential touchpoints that invite discovery rather than just purchase.

What makes this flagship stand out isn’t just its size; it’s the way every element works together to create a cohesive and elevated brand experience. In a shopping district filled with retail destinations, The North Face Fifth Avenue delivers a space that feels not just premier but intentional, a true flagship in both name and design.

Best Window Displays: Norrøna Lagunen, Norway

Norrøna Lagunen earns Best Window Displays for its strikingly coordinated use of color and storytelling. The fully color-matched windows create immediate visual impact, stopping customers in their tracks and drawing them into the space with clarity and confidence. It’s a reminder that window displays are not simply decoration, but are the first and most enticing element, drawing customers in before they even step inside.

While the “colors completely coordinated” intrigue customers, the “how to make your product last 40 years” gets them to connect with the brand, even before they set foot in the store. This narrative reinforces Norrøna’s commitment to sustainability, durability, and long-term value while positioning the product as an investment. This way of inviting customers into the product’s lifecycle transforms the window from a marketing moment into an education and trust-building tool that aligns luxury, responsibility, and performance in a way that feels both intentional and authentic.

Best Space Planning: Vans Store West-End, Oxford Street, London

The Vans West-End Store, Oxford Street, takes home Best Space Planning for the way it seamlessly integrates skate culture into its very architecture. Rather than trying to capture the essence of skateboarding culture through branding elements or graphics alone, this location brings it into the physical flow of the space with interactive ramps and zones that invite movement, play, and participation. The result is a layout that doesn’t just display product, it activates the environment, making the store feel alive and relevant to the lifestyle it represents.

What makes this approach so impactful is how it balances experience with functionality. The ramps and open circulation don’t disrupt shopping; they enhance it, encouraging customers to explore, linger, and interact with both the space and the product in a natural, engaging way. Blurring the line between retail and activity, Vans has created a store where every corner feels purposeful, memorable, and deeply connected to its brand identity.

Best Integrated Lighting Solution: On Chengdu Flagship, China

The On Chengdu Flagship takes Best Integrated Lighting Solution by thoughtfully blending architectural light design with the store’s spatial narrative. Rather than treating lighting as an afterthought or a series of fixtures, the design integrates light into the architecture itself, guiding sightlines, highlighting key product moments, and reinforcing the brand’s modern, performance-driven identity.

What truly elevates this lighting strategy is how it engages with natural daylight. Optimizing large openings and architectural elements, the design brings the outside in, allowing daylight to interact with artificial lighting in a way that enhances materiality and atmosphere throughout the day. This balance between natural and integrated lighting creates a comfortable and dynamic environment that feels connected to its surroundings, a fitting reflection of both the brand and its architectural context.

Best Pop-Up Experience: Altra Running Dopamine Dispensary

Altra Running’s Dopamine Dispensary takes home Best Pop-Up Experience for transforming a shoe launch into an immersive celebration of running culture. Rather than presenting product in a standard retail setting, Altra turned the activation into an experiential moment that reflected the physical high runners get from movement, with intentional design elements and playful, interactive cues that speak directly to runners. The Dopamine Dispensary wasn’t just a pop-up; it was a space that embodied the joy and community behind the sport, creating a memorable, shareable experience for every visitor.

What sets this activation apart is its ability to connect brand narrative with real-world behavior. The custom environment, signage, and display moments were designed to resonate with runners’ instincts and passions, inviting them to explore, engage, and linger. By meeting customers where they gather, whether at trail events or urban hubs, Altra created a pop-up that did more than feature product; it sparked connection, curiosity, and conversation long after the event closed its doors.

Final Thoughts on the Best of Retail 2025 Outdoor and Performance Brands

The Best of Retail 2025 reminds us that the most impactful stores aren’t defined by size, budget, or spectacle alone; they’re defined by intention. Across every winning category, we saw brands using design to tell clearer stories, invite deeper engagement, and create spaces that genuinely serve their customers. From thoughtful lighting and biophilia to immersive fitting rooms, customization zones, and community-driven moments, these retail spaces prove that great design isn’t about doing more; it’s about doing the right things exceptionally well. 

As the world of retail continues to evolve, the brands leading the way are those who see their physical spaces not just as places to sell product, but as platforms to build trust, loyalty, and long-term connection.

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