PROJECT: VICTORINOX, LONDON

This iconic Swiss brand is celebrating its 125th anniversary and has returned to London with a phenomenal flagship, that will almost certainly seal its success with future generations of enthusiasts.

The flagship store on Oxford Street is a feast for the senses, with its clean, symmetrical façade standing tall among fashion heavyweights. Its simplicity and symmetry aptly conveying the quality and longevity of this manufacturer. The double-height windows and door invite you in for a closer look, leading you on a journey of discovery through the brand’s extensive range of products.

As you enter, you’re greeted by a minimalist, yet bold interior that showcases the brand’s commitment to quality and longevity. The interior being uncluttered and ordered, with merchandise presented on equally minimalist fixtures and fittings. The store is understated and elegant showcasing the full product range on offer.

Naturally, there is no denying the importance of the infamous pocket knife to the brand’s success, but nowadays there is much more to Victorinox. Whether you are perusing the luggage, perfume, watches, cutlery or knives, you will marvel at the exquisite displays, the attention to detail and revel in the sleek interior. Product presentation is faultless and as such, elevates the items to art status.

There is so much detail in this astonishing new fitout, but it is presented in a logical, methodical and clinical fashion. Much like the pocket knives themselves, your vision is directed to the key features within a single display, or even individual section. Natural, marble flooring reinforces the quality inherent in this distinguished brand and allows the products to shine. Strong, graphic imagery interrupts the muted tones of the calm interior and adds a sense of drama. The red logo panel at the rear of the lower floor draws your eye across the store, as does the enormous, dynamic wall graphic to your left as you enter the shop. Digital screens enhance the buying process and create a seamless shopping experience. Exposed ceiling ducts, pipes and overhead track lighting are a further nod to Victorinox’s industrial roots.

The ground floor contains a range of apparel including travel gear, watches and fragrance displayed on stylish perimeter shelving. A combination of brushed stainless steel and natural birch link the brand to both its industrial roots and its birth place, surrounded by nature. The subtle tones ensure the merchandise is the hero in this prestigious environment. Midway along the righthand wall a steel and glass corkscrew staircase creates a feature as it winds its way up to the first floor. It appears to climb ever higher thanks to a mirror positioned on the ceiling directly above.

Once upstairs, you are fully immersed in the very essence of the brand: the knives. Merchandised in wall mounted, glass showcases, every tool is carefully displayed and precisely annotated. The knives are showcased at the front of the upper level, general cutlery knives are displayed at the rear.

Furthermore, a customisation bench takes pride of place at the centre of the first floor, where you can personalise and assemble your very own Swiss Army Knife. Choose the style, size, colour of the casing and engraving. Equipped with pristine clamps, vices, computer technology, and stools to perch on, you can while away the time designing your unique purchase. From this vantage point you have the benefit of the full height windows and can watch the world go by beneath you. A fitting nod to the brand’s Swiss heritage, which directly links the showroom to its exterior surroundings and the natural world.

Designed by the talented team at Dalziel and Pow, the store seamlessly blends modernism, minimalism, and industrialism, embodying Swiss precision engineering and innovation. Don’t miss out on this formidable addition to Oxford Street shopping - visit Victorinox today!