First Look: Urban Outfitters unveils Gen Z-friendly store format
Urban Outfitters has launched a new store experience that combines a flexible, refreshed design with assortments curated to specific markets.
The new concept made its debut at a new Urban Outfitters in Houston, followed by Glendale Galleria in Glendale, Calif. It will open in Bethesda, Md., in December. The chain will open an additional seven U.S. locations featuring the updated design in 2026.
The format puts the emphasis on Gen Z's favorite styles and brands, with increased footprints of best-selling Urban Outfitters brands. The merchandising and floor plans are guided by customer insight and market preferences, while upholding Urban Outfitters’ reputation as a destination for discovery, the company said.
In Houston, the assortment leans into dresses, denim and an accessories edit that taps into Gen Z's love of personalization with handbags, scarves, charms, bangles and more. In Glendale, a refreshed men's strategy takes center stage, with an expanded men's assortment of signature graphic tees, hoodies, pants, wardrobe essentials and curated brands, along with improved wayfinding and signage.
Additional key highlights of the new format include:
•Beauty, which continues to grow as a key differentiator across all markets, is presented through increased assortment and elevated moments throughout the store.
•New modular fixtures that scale to category needs and allow the store to quickly evolve its merchandising with trends and seasonal shifts;
•Fitting rooms offer a brighter, more spacious design for an enhanced customer experience; and
•Warm materials, rich textures, and increased visual styling throughout spaces create a more immersive and tailored shopping environment.
"Our goal is to be the go-to brand and destination for the categories and brands that define our customer's style, and a source of inspiration through our creativity," said Shea Jensen, president of Urban Outfitters. "This new format gives us the freedom to shape our stores around our customers, their lifestyle, and the moments that matter most to them."
The strategy also extends to where Urban Outfitters operates stores. With Gen Z driving renewed foot traffic to malls as spaces for discovery and connection, the retailer continues to balance street-level locations such as Houston with key mall footprints, including Glendale.
Insights from “UO Insiders,” the brand's community of highly engaged Gen Z shoppers, underscore this approach. It reveals that 72% of Gen Z consumers are shopping in malls, the most popular in-person shopping destination among the demographic.
Urban Outfitters operates over 200 stores across the United States, Canada, and Europe,
