NIKE WOMEN AWLab BARCELONA | Retail Design

Nike Women AWLab Barcelona: A Product-First Retail Design Concept

Flexible structures built to put the product first

The Nike Women AWLab concept was first developed to characterize the areas dedicated to Nike inside the AWLab store on Via del Corso in Rome. Its success led to the concept being replicated in further locations, from Milan Via Torino and Corso Buenos Aires stores to one of the most important shopping destinations in Barcelona, the Portal de l’Angel.

Across every location, the fulcrum of the project remained the same: giving the product room to stand out. Extremely flexible display structures were designed so that each store could be reconfigured according to the type of goods on show and the rhythm of new product launches, keeping the space responsive rather than fixed.

From Rome to Barcelona, a concept built to travel

Designing a concept meant to be replicated across several cities required a system rather than a single fixed layout. The Nike Women area within each AWLab store follows the same design principles while adapting to the architecture of each building, from the historic interiors of the Barcelona store to the more contemporary Milan locations.

Flexible structures that elevate the product

Modular wall displays and freestanding tables allow the merchandising team to change the configuration of each store quickly, adapting to seasonal collections and product launches. Footwear walls organize sneakers by color and category, while central tables bring key apparel pieces forward, keeping the product itself as the main focus of the space.

Mannequins staged at different heights

Particular attention was given to the mannequins, positioned on platforms of varying heights to create a stronger visual impact within the store. This layered composition draws the eye across the space and reinforces the sense of movement and energy associated with the Nike Women product range.

A dedicated space within Portal de l’Angel

In Barcelona, the Nike Women AWLab area occupies part of the AWLab store on Portal de l’Angel, one of the city’s busiest shopping streets. Large-scale photographic backdrops and the store’s own patterned floors and ornate ceilings sit alongside the flexible Nike displays, so that the brand concept feels integrated into the character of the building rather than layered on top of it.

From Nike Women AWLab to our approach to retail design

The Nike Women AWLab project shows how VANDA designs retail concepts meant to travel across cities and store formats, built around flexible systems that keep the product at the center of the experience. This approach to modular, product-first retail design continues to inform our work for international sport and fashion brands across Italy and Europe.

Related projects

Discover also the Nike Women AW Lab and Nike City Ready projects.