Australian outdoor brand Kathmandu has just opened its first next-generation concept store in Australia at Westfield Chatswood.
The new store will introduce immersive retail elements and a new layout, with the brand confirming a second store of this type will open in Melbourne next year.
A new key technology for the store concept is the digital mannequins – life-size, high-resolution screens which give customers a real-world view of Kathmandu gear in motion. According to the brand, these screens will bring products to life in a way that static mannequins never could. This includes showing off how jackets flex, pants move and backpacks sit.
The store also features product storytelling and heroes merchandising, as well as a programmable lighting system that changes colours throughout the day, with sunrise-inspired hues in the morning and pink dusk hues in the evening.
Kathmandu CEO Megan Welch said the concept is a major step forward for the brand.
“We’re excited to set this new benchmark for outdoor retail in Australia. This store has always been about sparking a desire to get people outdoors, while showing off the technical performance behind our gear,” Welch said.
“From the open aesthetic and the way we display product, every detail has been crafted to inspire. Chatswood marks a truly exciting step into the future of Kathmandu’s retail experience.”
Kathmandu tapped Public Design to help with the concept creation. Retail designers Jason Pollard and Dan Cooper said their trip around the South Island of New Zealand was a key inspiration.
“The sun rising against the mountains was absolutely beautiful,” Pollard said. “We thought this is exactly how we need to make the store feel.”
Alongside the technical aspects, Kathmandu also noted that the shopfront of the store is made from recycled glass bottles, while the counters, carpet, footwear benches and accessory panels are crafted from repurposed materials.
These are complemented by 3D-printed light fittings, as well as fixtures made from recycled shampoo and conditioner bottles.
Products across the store are grouped by activity – hiking, adventure travel, and outdoor clothing – to ease the customer journey.
The new store opened this week on November 27.
Kathmandu is managed under KMD Brands, a publicly listed entity on both the ASX and the NZSX, which also operates Rip Curl and Oboz Footwear. The company overall has around 330 owned stores globally, with Rip Curl and Oboz also stocked across thousands of retail partners globally.