Men’s fashion brand State of Art has opened a new flagship store in Antwerp, showing that innovation and respect for its roots can go hand in hand. The shop is also a tribute to founder Albert Westerman.
A heart for textiles
State of Art’s new store concept has been unveiled in one of Antwerp’s busiest shopping streets, Huidevettersstraat. “This new shop is the manifestation of our renewed brand and the way we want to welcome customers”, Sales Director Kristof Baeten says. The concept lets the menswear brand go back to its core: “Wave of Engagement [the design studio] made it clear that we had something unique on our hands. We evolved from a family business from the East of the Netherlands to an international corporate family, but our core did not change. We are still professional craftspeople at heart, with a heart for textiles and for each other.”
Behind every detail is a thoughtful reference to the company’s rich history: the store layout is based on the rows of knitting machines that once rattled in its factory in Lichtenvoorde. The specially designed pendant lamp with the unique flowing structure of yarn is a nod to the loom of the knitting machines. The cash register has the distinctive paint and lines of a Porsche, the great passion of founder Albert Westerman.
Technology also plays an important role in the new shop design: digital screens bring branded content into the shop. “We want to share what inspires our designers and how craftsmanship works”, Baeten adds. In the fitting rooms, an interactive kiosk allows customers, assisted by advisers, to immediately order items that are out of stock and have them delivered.
