Dive Brief:
- Freedom Moses, the footwear brand known for colorful, genderless slides and a “chill” ethos, has opened its first pop-up in the U.S., according to a press release sent to Retail Dive.
- Opened on Bleecker Street in New York’s West Village, Freedom Moses occupies 550 square feet and features over 1,300 pairs of slides and over 30 styles in a rainbow of colors that gives the space a “candy store” aesthetic, the company said.
- The Freedom Moses pop-up will stay up through September and may serve as a testing ground for the brand to open a stand-alone brick-and-mortar location.
Dive Insight:
The decision by Freedom Moses to launch in New York was “the right opportunity at the right time mixed with the right space at the perfect location,” Sarah Gurt, founder, owner and designer at Freedom Moses, said in an email. “We always loved Bleecker St. and we were eager to design a space with the new Namaste design we’ve been working on for almost a year.”
The design incorporates the use of a recycled cardboard system to house the slides that can then be reconfigured and reused. The way the slides' soles are placed together and displayed throughout the store reflects a Namaste symbol, Gurt said. Each box can hold up to four pairs of slides and can house the entire size range (both kids and adults), making the pop-up a “self service” model, Gurt added.
Freedom Moses worked with retail platform firm Leap and two designers on the concept and implementation of the pop-up.
The Freedom Moses pop-up further proves the need for physical stores for digitally native brands. A growing number of DTC brands have opened stores as a way to broaden their consumer base and help lower customer acquisition costs.
Freedom Moses is planning to open pop-ups this summer in Australia and Israel. The brand has previously had kiosks in the Philippines and Panama and pop-ups in Tel Aviv, Israel, where the company is based.
In addition to its Freedom Moses online store, the brand also sells its products in over 1,000 retailers worldwide and can be found online at Saks Fifth Avenue, Amazon and Revolve.
Founded in Israel in 2014, Freedom Moses slides are promoted as recyclable, cruelty-free and 100% vegan. The slides are made from PCU, considered an eco-friendly variation of plastic. While not 100% environmentally green, the slides are a cleaner alternative to products made with PVC. The slides are injected with air for additional comfort and minimal environmental impact, according to the company.
