Hoka Fly Lab pop-up runs until the 19th. Provides interesting foot condition 3D measurement and product experience. Report desired product . You can participate in the ‘Hoka Run Club' by pre-registering for the treadmill experience.
HOKA, a sports brand developed by Deckers Outdoor of the United States, visited Seongsu-dong, which has emerged as a 'hot place' for Korea's young generation. We open an experiential pop-up store and provide a brand experience focused on the joy of running.
On the 16th, Hoka opened the 'Hoka FlyLab' pop-up store at the first Oud Seongsu store in Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul and began operation. The pop-up store will be open for 4 days until the 19th. General consumer viewing will be available from the 17th.
Hoka Fly Lab is located on Yeonmujang-gil, Seongdong-gu, which is known as a ‘pop-up store street' and has cute cafes and restaurants hidden in the alleys. There are many old buildings, so the atmosphere is shabby, but when a famous brand pop-up store opens, people gather and the atmosphere on the street changes. The same goes for this Hoka pop-up store. The entire exterior of the pop-up store building was painted in the brand's signature color, blue (close to dark sky blue), and the Hoka logo was added. A large screen is installed at the entrance of the pop-up store to show brand video content. People passing by stopped to watch the video or take pictures.
Hoka is a shoe brand that has grown rapidly along with the outdoor style gofcore fashion. 'Salomon' is also a popular brand with outdoor functional shoe products in line with the gofcore fashion trend. Both brands have something in common: they originated in the French Alps. However, while Salomon has a strong masculine and rough feel mainly for mountain trail running, Hoka has a more feminine and soft image.
In addition, both brands have a common element in that they have a lineup of outdoor functional products such as general running, trail running, mountain climbing, and leisure use, but if you look at their customer base, new products, and brand activities, you can see that their directions are somewhat different. In the case of Salomon, the Mary Jane shoe style 'RX Mary Jane' has recently caused a surge in popularity, but it is still focusing on mountaineering products, while Hoka is steadily strengthening its general running category.
The Hoka pop-up store, which opened on this day, was also presented as an experiential space focusing on running functionality. A Hoka official said, “Hoka is a brand that provides a comfortable fit and stability in any environment, from daily life to outdoors, through unrivaled technology,” adding, “This Hoka Flywrap pop-up is the ‘joyful performance' experience pursued by the brand.” “It was planned to deliver this to consumers,” he explained.
Seongsu-dong becomes a ‘runner's mecca' for four days Foot condition 3D measurement and product experience operation
In particular, the pop-up store is expected to be an interesting and beneficial experience for consumers who enjoy running because it introduces new products and runs experience programs related to running that are not common in daily life, such as experiencing desired products on a treadmill and recommending foot sizes. The pop-up store operation period of only 4 days may be somewhat disappointing.
When you pass through the entrance and enter the pop-up store, the first thing you see is the brand history space. This is a space that introduces the brand history that began in the Alps. There is a docent in each space, so you can receive brief guidance and ask any questions you have. Next is the new product exhibition and photo booth space. Two new products, 'Ciello Visitors can take selfies using the full-length mirror and take pictures next to mannequins or new products. We also run an event where you will receive a souvenir if you upload a photo taken at the pop-up store to Instagram.
After passing the photo booth, the pop-up store highlight begins. In the new product experience space, you can take a closer look at Cielo Right next to it, there is a 'SafeSize' experience that measures and analyzes the shape of the foot in 3D through sensor scanning. It suggests sizes suitable for running based on foot size, length, and purpose, and also recommends customized products. From my own experience, the results showed that I recommend a size 1.5cm larger than the size you usually wear. This is a somewhat unexpected result. The explanation was that a larger size was proposed to take this into account because feet swell when walking or running for a long time, but it was not easily accepted because the size was different from the actual size worn. Usually, I receive a demo product in the size recommended by Safe Size, but assuming it would be used for everyday use, I requested a product in the regular size I usually wear. Demo products for experience must be experienced within the pop-up store and returned.
I wanted to try the Bondi series, which is known as a best-seller, but there was no size that fit, so I chose Clifton 9, which has a similar style. Personally, the regular size fit comfortably. There is some space left in the front, so it seems comfortable enough to wear even if your feet swell after walking for a long time. Because the midsole and sole are thick, they look like oversized chunky shoes, but the weight is very light thanks to the lightweight material. The sole is quite soft. It's also elastic, so it feels like it bounces a little every time I walk. It is said to be the 9th model in the Clifton series with a raised outsole and reduced weight to less than 250g. Hoka also explained that the new form has been applied to improve responsiveness when running. It is said to be one of the softest Hoka products. You can change into a trial product, enter the ‘treadmill zone' located in a three-story building, and experience the performance of running shoes for yourself. Guide staff will help you experience everything from slow speeds to fast sprints. 고스톱
