Checkland Kindleysides & Quiksilver Launch Flagship Store in Europe's Surf Capital Hossegor

Jul. 07, 2022

Checkland Kindleysides and Surf & Snowboard brand Quiksilver have launched a dynamic new global store concept which "reawakens the spirit of adventure". Debuting close to the beach in Europe’s surf capital Hossegor, France, this retail concept will be rolled out to further retail destinations.

Creating community-focused spaces: 

The Quiksilver brand appeals to many communities, including those interesting in surfing and snow, so the store concept has been designed to appeal to their individual lifestyles and appear in the places where they shop most. These are community-focused spaces which target a new generation of consumers, who are united in their love of personalised experiences. The spaces, designed by Checkland Kindleysides, are created to foster community and host experiences which resonate with Gen Z including animations, a product capsule dedicated to the event, and a signing session in the with all the athletes. 

Checkland Kindleysides collaborated with Quiksilver to create a global blueprint for the retail concept. It was designed with a future focus and longevity, and displaces previous densely merchandised stores. The new retail environments work harder, create clarity, and present inspiring Quiksilver product stories that are easier to read, display, engage with and shop in. 

The creative team used a natural colour palette to allow Quiksilver’s product range to "pop" whist also injecting natural and sustainable materials such as sustainably sourced timbers, recycled waste resins, and plywood. The concept focuses around a scalable and flexible suite of component parts which are fully adapted to suit different brand and customer universes and to directly appeal to the different tribes within the Quiksilver community. 

Checkland Kindleysides was also responsible for the new visual strategy which focuses on bringing forward iconic and heritage content from the brand’s archives – such as board shorts and art pieces. All brand stories are brought to life at scale within the space via digital projections which introduce movement into the space.  

New concept launch event including Stranger Things: 

Quiksilver is currently attracting hype via the sales of some of its iconic collections via its current collaboration with Netflix’s Stranger Things, a collection which takes things back to the raw energy of 1986 in California.  

These capsule collections, now available for sale worldwide and currently displayed in the Hossegor store, deliver a nostalgic throwback to Quiksilver's surf-inspired ’80s era while integrating elements from the Stranger Things 4 storyline. 

The Stranger Things series takes place in the 1980s, and with access to classic styles from the Quiksilver archive, Netflix and Quiksilver have been able to develop truly original and era-specific collections reflective of the show’s setting and Quiksilver’s roots.  

The official Quiksilver x Stranger Things 4 collections feature exclusive Quiksilver pieces worn by the cast throughout the show, fashion-forward pieces inspired by the Quiksilver 1980s archive, and Season 4 episode-specific merchandise. 

The official opening event of the shop took place in June with a lot of open-air activations making it possible for everyone to join in.  

For the occasion, the now-famous Surfer Boy Pizza truck from Stranger Things 4 settled right in front of the store, ensuring a hot delivery of pizzas all through the evening as well as goodies for the lucky winners of the Surfer Boy Pizza challenge. 

The Quiksilver x Stranger Things collection available in the shop was at the centre of the event, for a full immersion in this insanely cool collaboration.

Arthur Pommiers, Quiksilver Marketing Coordinator EMEA said:

"It was a pleasure working with the team at Checkland Kindleysides. Like us they are a team full of surfers and snowboarders and intuitively understood Quiksilver’s unique brand DNA. This shared culture of board riding translated directly into the design of a powerful new store concept securing Quiksilver’s visibility for future generations of brand fans."

 

Clive Hunt, Creative Director Checkland Kindleysides said: 

"It’s been amazing to work with Quiksilver – a brand that holds such an iconic and culturally relevant position within the lifestyle fashion category. We thoroughly enjoyed designing a space which will connect with new audiences – and which is able to present the brand with an unrivalled authenticity and connection to its audience."