The Camper shoe store in SoHo is a European shoe brand that’s making a bold statement on Prince Street. Designed by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban the store is part super graphic, part display tour-de-force all wrapped up in attention grabbing red. The merchandising displays exhibit shoes in vertical rows that angle out from the wall with the reverse side emblazoned with the Camper logo across the entire space. From Prince Street all customers see is the logo and a sea of red, as they enter the store the white shelves with product start to appear with each shoe being displayed on its own individual shelf.
The Greene Street elevation sports sliding glass doors that when opened connect the store directly to the street eliminating all barriers to enter and browse. Once inside bench seating from Artek, designed by Ban and manufactured from recycled materials has curved backs which provide a bit of whimsy in the space.
The landmark status building had been vacant for years before Ban’s design gave new life to this area of SoHo. The only part of the design that seems out-of-place is an open pergola style gabled structure on the roof. This superfluous gesture is unnecessary given the sophistication retail space below. See an Architecture Magazine article for additional store design information and photos.
Bottom LineThe store is a winner from its brand positioning, to its innovated design, to its ability to draw customers into the space and introduce new American customers to this Spanish brand.
Design & the Bottom Line 