When awarding Veja the Client of the Year title, the FRAME Awards jury praised the strong alignment between the brand's ethos and its store interiors, which they believed sends a powerful message to customers.
French footwear and accessories brand Veja has been around since 2004, but it’s only in recent years that it has truly exploded onto the scene – helped, no doubt, by the string of celebrities spotted sporting the now-iconic V logo on their sneakers. Credited with scaling sustainable sneaker production, Veja uses organic cotton, wild Amazonian rubber and recycled materials, all sourced through fair trade practices.
Title image and above: In Madrid, Veja and designers Plantea Estudio kept the framework of the building intact, with exposed walls and beams, and introduced a modern aesthetic with minimal displays. The space includes a repair bar and vintage furniture
Its stores – the first of which opened in 2021, 17 years after Veja’s inception – are designed to reflect the brand’s sustainable ethos. Surfaces are often left bare to minimize the use of paint and artificial decor, only essential furniture is included and many stores feature repair bars – such as the recently opened Paris location, which focuses entirely on repairs. Jury member Carmelo Zappulla, CEO of External Reference, noted that this alignment between brand ethos and store interiors sends a strong message to customers. ‘Especially the younger generations, which are very fond of this brand.’
Veja’s store in Williamsburg, Brooklyn – designed in collaboration with Office JDY – retains the existing brick walls, concrete floors and wooden ceilings, while incorporating new merchandising furniture and a wooden cobbler’s workshop.
Josse Popma, architect and partner at Popma ter Steege Architects, praised how Veja has ‘found a way to make a difference in its industry and attract a large clientele. It really is different from any other shoe shop in terms of what you see and how you experience it.’ Pallavi Dean, founder of Roar, agreed: ‘The stores are not filled with endless models. It’s almost like anti-consumerism.’
