Sorel Footwear pops-up all aglow in orange in NYC
Sorel Footwear celebrated the 50th anniversary of its iconic Caribou silhouette with the opening of its first-ever pop-up.
Located in the trendy Williamsburg shopping district of Brooklyn, N.Y., the 950-sq.-ft. shop includes an augmented reality experience that allows customers to interact and engage with key styles under different weather conditions as well as a “charm and lace” bar where shoppers can customize their boot purchases. The store is aglow on the interior and exterior with the brand’s signature colorway: “optimized orange.”
The vibrant color scheme carries throughout the space, which was designed by MG2/The Lionesque Group to engage and inspire both long-time Sorel fans as well as new passers-by. The design also highlights Sorel’s Caribou silhouette. A 5’x10’ foot polar bear is painted on the store’s orange-painted exterior.
The interior is a full orange saturation with custom display fixtures and customizable lighting that includes orange glow windows. The walls are a collage of vintage Sorel ads combined with new campaign imagery to celebrate the breadth of the brand’s heritage.
The orange saturation throughout the interior gives a bright vibrancy to the space, especially in the context of the city streets. Interior surfaces, which include hard metals and soft shearlings, provide a strong juxtaposition and give a nod to the diverse textural landscape of New York City.
“This moment is more than a pop-up for Sorel,” said Natalie Hayes, VP of global brand marketing at Sorel, which was founded in 1962 and is a division of Columbia Sportswear Company. “It represents over 50 years of industry-leading experience in footwear, showcasing how Sorel heritage styles — like the Caribou — are truly timeless.”
As to the decision to pop up in Brooklyn, Hayes said the location came naturally.
“New York has long served as a muse to Sorel,” he noted. “We’re inspired by the people, thriving cultural and art scene, and energy in Brooklyn. This pop-up is a way for us to honor and celebrate that inspiration in a fun way.”
The Sorel pop-up is open through Sunday, Oct. 22.