Canadian waterproof sneaker brand Vessi has planted its flag in the U.S. with its first store.
On Wednesday, the Vancouver-based company opened the doors to its new location at Bellevue Square in The Bellevue Collection shopping center, just outside of Seattle, marking a major milestone in its expansion into physical retail.
The new store will carry the brand’s full footwear lineup, along with select outerwear, and will give customers the opportunity to experience the brand’s proprietary Dyma-tex waterproof technology and fit in person.
Founded in 2018, Vessi has sold more than two million pairs globally, with the Pacific Northwest representing one of its strongest customer regions.
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“Opening our first U.S. store is an important step for the brand,” Andy Wang, co-founder and chief executive officer of Vessi, said in a statement. “The Pacific Northwest has always been a core market for us, and Bellevue is a natural place to bring the Vessi experience into a physical retail setting.”
In connection with the opening, Vessi noted that it will donate all profits from the Bellevue store’s opening period through the first weekend of operations to support local flood relief and recovery efforts.
A separate donation will also be made to support flood-affected communities in Abbotsford and the Lower Mainland in British Columbia. Recipient organizations will be confirmed once totals are finalized, the company said.
The news comes nearly one year after Vessi hired its first chief marketing officer. In April, the shoe brand tapped former Adidas executive Lorrin Pascoe to fill the role. While at the Three Stripes, Pascoe held the roles of senior director of global brand and sports marketing as well as senior manager of global brand marketing, among others.
In an exclusive interview with FN at the time, Pascoe said that in his new role, he will be responsible for scaling Vessi, both in the U.S. and globally. The executive added that he will also work on the continual evolution of the brand’s omnichannel operations by putting an emphasis on retail.
“It’s really important to continue to grow the brand at retail, while also looking at how consumers can experience the brand in fun and unexpected ways,” Pascoe said.
