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Walcott, Wenger, Essien and Hoffman join forces to launch NikeiD Studio
Last updated at 14:38pm on 02.11.07Top Premier League football stars mixed with Hollywood as Nike launched its new London NikeiD studio.
It is a unique customization service that is the first of its kind in the UK, and based at the NikeTown store in central London.
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Shoe on the other foot: Essien, Walcott, Hoffman and wife Lisa Gottsegen
And they oulled out all the stops with Arsenal's Theo Walcott and Arsene Wenger, linking up with Chelsea's Michael Essien and West Ham duo Mark Noble and Anton Ferdinand.
And to complete a star-studded occasion, Hollywood legend Dustin Hoffman was also there with his wife, Lisa Gottsegen.
The studio, a stylish two-story glass and steel cube suspended above the centre of the store, will give consumers a hands-on design experience and the power to express their individuality by personalizing their sports footwear, apparel and equipment.
This is done using the NikeiD.com online design process, with help from one-to-one appointments with trained Design Consultants. Once consumers have created their designs in the studio they can be stored in an online 'locker' and shared with others online. After ordering, the shoes are individually made and delivered to them, either via the Nike Town store or direct to their homes. The NikeiD business has more than tripled since 2004 with more than 3 million unique visitors going to www.NikeiD.com every month.
As many retailers continue to take their instore offering online, Nike has seized the opportunity to bring this unique online design experience to the heart of its store and the heart of London's busiest shopping district. This puts the consumer in control of the design process and extends the NikeiD experience beyond the computer screen where it has lived since its inception in 1999.
Five to tackle: Essien, Walcott, Noble, Wenger and Ferdinand
"The world has changed. Consumers interact with brands on their own terms," said Trevor Edwards, Vice President, Brand and Category Management for Nike.
"The NikeiD Studio enables consumers to create their expression of the Nike brand with the guidance of a skilled Design Consultant."
Pilot NikeiD spaces have previously opened in Paris, France and Osaka, Japan and the NikeiD London studio follows a similar studio that opened at NikeTown New York in early October. The first floor of the London NikeiD studio houses the iD Bar, a walk-in space where consumers can customise a selection of 54 different styles of Nike footwear, as well as Nike Pro apparel and bags and watches, using thousands of colour and material options and with assistance from a Design Consultant. They can also buy NikeiD Exclusive product (product that has already been iD'd) and book appointments for the NikeiD Studio on the second floor. The second floor, the iD Studio, is an appointment-only private space, hosted by the studio concierge, Q, in luxuriously appointed surroundings.
The iD Studio is manned by Q and her team and hosts four Mac stations, each manned by a Design Consultant, who will facilitate consumers' designs, drawing on their passions and creativity in a one-hour personal consultation.
As well as the product offered on the first floor, the second floor iD Studio has 5 exclusive footwear styles - the Classic BW, Dunk Hi, Dunk Lo, Women's Dunk and Air Max 90 that can only be customized on iD in that space or at Nike iD studio New York. The Design Consultants, amongst the most creative and cutting edge individuals in the capital, have been handpicked from London's cultural elite and include graffiti artists, musicians and sneaker freaks.
Each has undergone a 14-week training programme that included sessions at Claridges and a meeting with a colour psychologist. Customers should call the NikeiD concierge service (020 7612 0990) or log onto www.nikeid.com/londonstudio to make an appointment for the second floor studio, but walk-in design sessions can be accommodated on the first floor based upon availability each day.
Each session is scheduled for up to one hour and a Design Consultant will work with consumers throughout each session.
