How Skechers is putting its best foot forward with a new retail concept

Skechers is looking to stretch its brand beyond the casual and performance categories it is known for, using Singapore as the launchpad for a new retail concept aimed at putting its comfort credentials into more polished, everyday settings.

The footwear brand opened its first dedicated Skechers USA concept pop-up in Southeast Asia at Jewel Changi Airport on 16 October, introducing a retail format that looks noticeably different from its established stores in Singapore.

Speaking to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Zann Lee, managing director of Skechers Southeast Asia, said the concept responds to changing expectations among Singapore consumers, particularly working adults who want comfortable footwear that can move between the office, meetings and other occasions without looking overly casual.

"Singapore consumers have always placed a strong emphasis on comfort, but increasingly, they also want footwear that looks polished and fits naturally into different parts of their everyday lives," Lee said.

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The Skechers USA concept is intended to build on the brand's existing understanding of the Singapore market while broadening how consumers perceive and experience Skechers beyond the casual and athletic categories it is already associated with.

According to Lee, Singapore's maturity as a retail market, coupled with consumers' familiarity with Skechers and openness to new retail concepts, made it a natural place to introduce the format in Southeast Asia.

Jewel Changi Airport was similarly chosen for its mix of local and international shoppers. For Skechers, that provides an opportunity to introduce the format both to consumers already familiar with the brand and travellers who may be encountering this side of Skechers for the first time.

The location will also give the brand a chance to observe how different groups respond to the concept, its assortment and the wider store experience, Lee explained.

Putting a new foot forward

The shift is perhaps most visible in the store itself. Rather than following Skechers' more sports-oriented retail design, the pop-up uses warm beige and neutral tones, curved architectural details, textured surfaces and a dedicated lounge area to create a more residential-inspired environment.

"The difference is intentional because the product offering and the audience we are speaking to are also different," Lee said.

She explained that the contemporary and refined environment was designed to complement collections such as Modern Comfort and Men's USA while helping customers picture the footwear across different parts of their lives. Lee added: 

We want our target customers to feel comfortable walking into the store in whatever they may already be wearing, whether they are coming from the office, meeting friends, or simply spending the day at Jewel. 

The pop-up carries a curated selection of Modern Comfort and Men's USA footwear, alongside a small range of women's lifestyle bags. The concept also forms part of a broader strategy to serve consumers across more occasions rather than simply sell through another store format.

Lee said physical retail remains particularly important for footwear because shoppers still want to touch materials, try different styles and experience fit and comfort before making a purchase. 

At the same time, Skechers sees room to move away from having every store provide the same experience. Instead, different formats could address different consumer needs, with the Skechers USA concept sitting alongside its established stores and potentially reaching customers who may not previously have considered the brand for more polished occasions.

From Jewel to the region

While sales will be one measure of the Jewel pop-up's performance, Skechers will also examine who enters the store, which categories and styles attract attention and whether the concept is reaching consumers outside its traditional customer base.

Those findings will feed into a wider rollout that is already underway.

Two additional Skechers USA concept stores are expected to open at Westgate and Northpoint City by the end of 2026, with further Singapore locations planned for 2027.

The format is also heading elsewhere in Southeast Asia. Thailand is expected to receive three Skechers USA concept stores in December, followed by Malaysia in early 2027.

As the concept expands, Lee said insights from Singapore, including product preferences and the ways consumers interact with the stores, will be used to refine the format for different markets across the region. 

Singapore gives us a valuable environment to gather those insights, and Jewel marks the beginning of a broader rollout of the Skechers USA concept store.

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