Sporting the factory style

As a concept invented to sell excess stock at cut prices, factory stores are characterised by rapidly changing and unpredictable product ranges.

Adidas’ first standalone store, which opens today in the BAA McArthur Glen Designer Outlet Village factory complex near York, is no exception. The 586m2 store will sell Adidas footwear, clothing and accessories.

Corsie Naysmith created the interiors and worked with the client on aspects of the strategy. ‘The biggest challenge was to create a flexible system to deal with stock you can’t dictate. One week the store might get ten red men’s shirts and the next it’ll get 50 orange women’s tops in their place,’ says consultancy director Stuart Naysmith.

Corsie Naysmith has created a series of graphic panels which can be rearranged to suit the stock levels.

‘The graphics tap into the brand’s core values of heroism and functionality. We have used generic imagery rather than specific product branding because the merchandise is often older stock and because it’s always changing. So we’re using David Beckham and Prince Naseem [long-term sponsors by Adidas] rather than, say, a poster showing a specific basketball top,’ adds Naysmith.

The store also includes an exposed steel-clad ceiling to underline the industrial aspect of the store and has two entrances, at right angles to one another, to improve access. Meanwhile, the display system has been positioned in front of the cashdesk to increase security.

If the concept proves successful it will roll out to other factory outlets, initially in the UK and then across Europe.

Designer: Corsie Naysmith

Project manager: Blyth Wyatt Budd

Architect for the village: Shepherd Robson

Client: Adidas