Charles Beckman believed that if one worked hard enough, one could achieve anything. As you’d expect, he applied this adage to his life and his work – which are really one and the same. America was on the rise; its men toiled day and night to build their home. Beckman, a merchant from Red Wing, Minnesota saw first-hand the need for durable and comfortable boots. This was where Beckman built his legacy.
Red Wing Shoe Company, established in 1905, is now known worldwide for its premium craftsmanship and attention to detail. More importantly, the brand’s comprehensive history and commitment to quality make up the heritage that boot lovers are so drawn to. Local boot lovers, specifically, will be able to experience the Red Wing story for themselves at the brand’s first flagship store in Singapore. Boasting the largest collection in Southeast Asia, the Red Wing Shoe Store launched on 23 April 2014.
Guests were introduced to over 100 styles, including the Red Wing heritage work and classic styled footwear. This is not the only highlight of the new store, however. Built to provide guests with an experience of touring a traditional shoe-making factory, the Red Wing Shoe Store is adorned with an old stitching machine (the same type that is used to stitch Red Wing boots), factory racks, premium and cowhide leathers, and other shoe-making materials specially imported from the original factory in Minnesota, USA.
Here, customers can get their boots fitted correctly and learn useful boot care and restoration techniques to groom the boot’s leather as it ages. Occasionally, Red Wing will also organise boot care clinics, where customers can bring their boots to the store to learn how to care for them.
The store’s vintage lighting and furnishing reflect a typical general store in an old, quiet Midwest town. Boots, heavy with tradition, are lined on thick blocks of old lumber beams – a tribute to the lumberjack, whose unforgiving nature of work required tall work boots with tough soles. Significant details like warehouse doors and iron rails, a common mechanism used by farmers on their barn yard doors, are touches that pay homage to this respected history. With these, Red Wing fans will be able to connect emotionally and visually to the brand.
Vice President of Red Wing, Dan Dahl, and General Manager of Red Wing Japan Ltd, Michiya Suzuki – who designed all Red Wing flagship stores in Asia – graced the opening of the store. Together with Philip Chan, the General Manager of Leeden Ltd (distributor of Red Wing Shoes Company in Southeast Asia), the three men walked guests through the history and milestones of the brand.
Michiya Suzuki said, “As Red Wing is a truly unique brand of footwear, our branded store – the Red Wing Shoe Store – is also designed to be an exceptional retail store. The priority of the Red Wing Shoe Store is unlike many conventional retail stores that emphasize on maximizing sales. We believe that our primary mission is to create a space for passionate boots fans. The flagship store serves as a place to experience and discover the uniqueness, values, and stories about the heritage brand.”
The first in Southeast Asia, the 1,120 sq feet store will be located at orchardgateway, #04-16.
