Spanx Enters Physical Retail With Experiential Pop-Ups
Shapewear and activewear company Spanx is moving into the physical territory for the first time, launching an experiential pop-up series that will take place in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Miami.
The one-day-only pop-ups will allow consumers to shop Spanx merchandise while engaging with artwork by Nigerian-Australian artist Nkosi Ndlovu. The outdoor display is meant to celebrate “the twists and turns that shape the female experience.”
"This is the first time we're bringing SPANX apparel to the public with a retail experience," said chief brand officer Misha Nonoo in a statement. "It's time. At Spanx, we are driven by our commitment to solving shared wardrobe problems and helping women juggle the many roles they take on every day. We create intuitive designs that let her take on her world, her way."
The pop-ups will occur on the following days:
- New York City, New York
- Friday, October 27
- 11:30 AM - 5:00 PM
- Hudson Yards Public Square and Gardens, New York, NY 10001
- Washington, D.C.
- Saturday, November 4
- 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- The Wharf (Market Square)
- 760 Maine Ave SW, Washington, DC 20024
- Miami, Florida
- Saturday, November 11
- 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Miami's Design District - Sweet Bird North
- 95 NE 40th Street, Miami, FL 33137
Following this initial series, the company is heading to London’s Selfridges department store ahead of the holiday season, providing shopping opportunities from November 20 to December 22 and beyond.
Spanx isn’t the only online-only brand to expand into physical retail. Recently, toy company Melissa & Doug opened its first brick-and-mortar location in its 35-year history.
Pop-ups, however, have long been an established way to increase hype around a brand and expand direct-to-consumer (DTC) efforts via an exclusive, short-term appearance. Last year, Nike, for example, merged in-person shopping with digital experiences in an immersive, QR-powered retail concept in Seoul.
Additionally, Rao’s launched a New York City-based pop-up happening across three days. The “Saucery” marketplace allowed consumers to sample a variety of Rao’s offerings in a limited-time experience that also includes wine pairings and freshly grown produce and Italian herbs. This was also accompanied by a virtual component.
According to a Capital One survey, 63% of retailers open a pop-up with the goal to improve customer connection and 46% open a pop-up to introduce a new product. The company also reports that 32% of pop-ups are from e-commerce businesses and 28% of pop-up shops are from a mix of brick-and-mortar locations and e-commerce revenue.
