On 20 January, Canadian high-end outdoor apparel label Arc’teryx officially opened the doors to its Shanghai concept space, the Arc’teryx Museum. The West Nanjing Road flagship boasts the largest primitive landscape experience in the world.
As the first Arc’teryx shop to be called a “museum” globally, the shop takes inspiration from the Vancouver Coasts and Mountains region of British Columbia in its home country of Canada. The space is divided into 4 themed sections ranging from rocky to leafy landscapes. Visitors can embark on an immersive hiking experience while climbing the stairs in the shop. Meanwhile, a corner for audio-visual content and a reCARE care centre for the garments have also been incorporated.
Last year just before Christmas, the brand screened the documentary short “Searching for the Christmas Tree” on a giant screen installation outside the store before the location was ready to open. The film follows Arc’teryx Athletes He Chuan and Liu Yang as they search for an icy cliff that resembles a Christmas tree in the Taihang mountains in Henan. Fulfilling its function as a museum space, an exhibition focusing on the iconic Alpha SV shell jacket will be held at the flagship location from 4 February.
Founded in 1989. Arc’teryx has been enjoying a huge surge in popularity in recent years due to the gorpcore aesthetic and outdoor boom. Its parent company, Anta-owned Amer Sports has just been approved for IPO in the US, stating the group’s revenue grew 61.8% during the first 3 quarters of 2023, with Greater China contributing 48% for the group and is aiming for 1 billion Euros (1.09 billion USD) by 2025. Arc’teryx currently has 63 shops in Greater China, half of its global total.
By opening its largest concept store as its Shanghai flagship, the brand shows the significance of the Chinese market while further enhancing its outdoorsy brand image. With future events like exhibitions and screenings, the brand also enhances its online-to-offline community building, which has been one of its strong suits.
