As fashion companies continue to revamp brick-and-mortar shopping, French sneaker brand VEJA has used the opportunity to implement a repair-and-reuse cobbler program throughout its new North American locations. Following the New York outpost by Office JDY, VEJA opened its first outpost on the other coast, replete with the brand’s signature neutral colors and cobbler station. Unlike previous locations, the Los Angeles store, designed by OWIU, layers the industrial site with allusions to the Los Angeles landscape.

Located in a 1923 building in the city’s Venice neighborhood. The architects used the structure’s industrial elements to its advantage. OWIU preserved the original wooden beams, exposed brick, and even unfinished walls. To add to the minimalist style, the architects treated walls with a sand plaster to create a subtle texture. Wooden and concealed shelving line the walls for product display, leaving the main floor as the central activation.

OWIU used their in-house fabrication branch, called Inflexion Builds, to create sculptural seating and display plinths. The team hand-poured and mixed concrete to achieve pieces that recall California’s topography, rocks, and sand. The bespoke and preserved elements tie the store to its new site.

At the rear, the color palette and cobbler station sits within a cut out from the wall, prominently displayed from the entry. OWIU added custom shelving to the station to recall nostalgic images of French cobbler shops and visually pair old and new footwear together.

OWIU’s concept established the brand’s foothold on the West Coast but ties the minimal yet warm design language to other existing locations.