Ugg bows multi-sensory 'Feel House' pop-up in Brooklyn; China, Korea pop-ups to come

By

Benjamin Fitzgerald

Published
Oct 26, 2022

Footwear brand Ugg announced on Tuesday the opening of its new multi-sensory pop-up store, located in Brooklyn, with pop-ups to take place in key Asian cities and the metaverse.

Initially introduced as a trial concept in March 2022, the 'Feel House' returns this fall to Brooklyn's Kent Avenue, as a retail pop-up that serves as multi-sensory community space "dedicated to making self-expression comfortable for all," according to a press release from the Deckers-owned Ugg.

Curated in partnership with Matte Projects, visitors can enter the Brooklyn Feel House through a sensory tunnel. Once inside the pop-up, a "cozy and calming space to reset and recharge," awaits. Special audio and lighting installations allow for mindfulness and meditation, to escape the outside world, while a custom store scent was created in partnership with New York-based Olfactory NYC, referencing the Ugg brand's signature suede. There is also an interactive wall, where consumers can contribute to the space by sharing their feelings through art and words.

Meanwhile, for the interior design, Ugg partner and curator, critic, and author Kimberly Drew, tapped local artists to create custom work centered around the idea of "feeling."

Artist Shawna X created artwork representing an act of weaving and sorting through complexity to seek truth and healing, made with a mix of traditional, digital and AI mediums; Grace Miceli's digitally illustrated comic features twelve rectangular panels designed to push toward opening up and exploring the inner world; and Alicia Mersy's work is an affirmation-covered sofa in collaboration with Furniture Abu Akram of Brooklyn. The pieces will be on display through January 2023. 

For shoppers, the Feel House will feature a curated assortment of the Ugg brand's silhouettes including the Classic Boot franchise—Classic Micro Mini, Classic Ultra Mini, Classic Mini II, and Classic Short II—and new silhouettes, updated with a platform outsole. Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the brand's Adirondack and Butte winter boots will also be available for purchase at the pop-up. 

The Ugg Brooklyn Feel House opens its doors on October 28. Ugg said it plans to take the Feel House to Chengdu, China, and Seongsu-dong, Seoul, South Korea in the coming months, with a launch in the metaverse via Zepeto.