How BIRKENSTOCK is turning its WEAVE store into an experiential retail destination

Physical retail has come a long way. No longer just a place to display products, modern stores aim to create immersive journeys where design, technology, and interactivity converge. In Singapore, brands are increasingly embracing experiential retail to stand out in a market that’s both digitally savvy and culturally rich. From JUNGSAEMMOOL’s beauty concept store to Prada Caffè and THE ONITSUKA flagship, the city-state has become a testing ground for innovation.

Joining this wave, German footwear brand BIRKENSTOCK opened its latest experiential concept at WEAVE, Resorts World Sentosa, offering an interactive and sensory-first retail experience that reflects the brand’s philosophy: “Walking as nature intended.”

Designed to be warm, inviting, and harmonious with its surroundings, the WEAVE store encourages visitors to slow down and truly engage with the brand. The interiors, crafted predominantly from natural materials, evoke a sense of serenity and echo the island setting of Sentosa. “The store was designed to be a space where people feel comfortable to explore, linger and connect with the brand in a deeper way,” said Evelyn Chua, managing director, Southeast Asia and Down Under, in an interview with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE. 

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Beyond footwear, the WEAVE outlet emphasises wellness and comfort through interactive touchpoints. Visitors can navigate a foot reflexology corner, experience a state-of-the-art digital foot scanner to determine their ideal fit, or indulge in a dedicated foot massage. These elements transform a typical shopping trip into a holistic, multi-sensory journey.

As Chua explains, “Each of these elements is intended as meaningful extensions to engage with customers, turning a shopping trip into an immersive journey that showcases BIRKENSTOCK’s commitment to quality, comfort and care.”

Unlike the House of BIRKENSTOCK at Duxton, which focuses on storytelling and discovery, WEAVE was designed to be open, light, and sensorial, catering to visitors in a relaxed, lifestyle-oriented environment. Highlighting the strategic intent behind the experiential approach, Chua said: 

WEAVE fills the gap by tailoring the retail experience to its environment: it’s less about being a flagship and more about being an inviting destination.

Merging local culture with global heritage

The store also introduces BIRKENSTOCK’s first collaboration with a local artist. A Kids’ mural, created in partnership with Geraldine Toh, brings playful interactivity to the space, delighting families and children. “Collaborating with a local artist allowed us to celebrate creativity within the region and give the space a sense of place that resonates with visitors in Southeast Asia,” Chua said. Local inspiration extends to reflexology paths reminiscent of pebbled walks in parks and housing estates, designed for barefoot walking to stimulate pressure points.

The WEAVE store also features a care essentials corner, showcasing foot and body care products formulated from natural ingredients. This complements BIRKENSTOCK’s iconic cork footbeds and reinforces the brand’s philosophy of holistic wellbeing. Through these carefully curated elements, the store merges global brand DNA with local storytelling, creating an authentic and immersive experience.

Chua explains that WEAVE is not just a standalone initiative but part of BIRKENSTOCK’s wider strategy to strengthen its presence in Southeast Asia. “Physical retail gives us the opportunity to create moments of trust and memory that strengthen long-term loyalty, ensuring that even in a digital-first world, the emotional bond with the brand remains deeply human,” she said.

The store also functions as a community hub, with the brand's recent "Cork Oasis Villa" pop-up offering workshops, parent-child yoga, and sensory play for children, underscoring BIRKENSTOCK’s commitment to wellness and education. “Through movement and play, we bring our philosophy closer to families and communities,” Chua said, noting that these activations help translate the brand’s heritage into tangible experiences.

Looking ahead: The future of experiential retail

Chua sees experiential retail evolving beyond mere points of sale. Future stores, she says, will blend design, personalisation, technology, and storytelling to create spaces that inspire and foster connection.

Experiential retail will be defined by spaces that go beyond points of sale: focusing on connection, inspiration, and community.

WEAVE, she adds, is an early embodiment of this vision, merging architecture, sustainability, art, and interactivity while remaining grounded in BIRKENSTOCK’s philosophy of walking naturally.

As the brand continues to expand across Southeast Asia, WEAVE represents a blueprint for integrating heritage, craftsmanship, and lifestyle into retail spaces that are as much about engagement as they are about commerce. “BIRKENSTOCK WEAVE is an early embodiment of this vision — grounded yet relevant, ever evolving to reach the modern audience while staying true to our philosophy of walking as nature intended,” Chua concluded. 

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