Oslo, Norway (Nov. 8, 2023) – Norrøna, the family-owned Norwegian adventure travel company and manufacturer of high-end outdoor apparel and outerwear, today unveiled a revolutionary global headquarters. The iconic brand welcomes a diverse international guestlist to the grand opening of the space, which sprawls 8,200-square-feet and includes Norrøna’s largest and most immersive store to date, a flexible modern event space, and the company’s newest venture into the restaurant industry, with the new Nordic-concept, Naturen Brasserie.
“We said that we can create the most impressive, coolest retail concept in the world if we were given the right framework conditions. And now we have,” Jørgen Jørgensen, said Norrøna’s fourth generation CEO and owner.
Norrøna House Flagship Store
The Norrøna House Flagship store has set a benchmark for the outdoor retail industry. Towering at more than 16 feet tall, an iconic color wall made entirely of Gore-Tex makes a statement right at the entrance. Norrøna has weaved in the stories of its 94-year legacy, with chronicles of its historic expeditions, to timelines of its most famed collections, to The Complexity of Simplicity installation, which represents its design philosophy, Loaded Minimalism™. Just below the sky roof, the Flagship store has set up a Gore-Tex-approved Storm Lab, which is the perfect setting for Norrøna’s in-house designers and customers to test both new and old products. At more than 2,600-square-feet, the Flagship store innovatively displays Norrøna’s entire collection and is also the site for REuse, its first second-hand store.
REuse Second Hand Store
The second-hand store is a part of a full-scale initiative from the brand, titled Norrøna REuse, which has been incorporated into other aspects throughout the company. Within Norrøna House, guests can also: hand in Norrøna products for REpair, check out outlet styles for a REduced price, REfit all products for the perfect tailored fit, REcycle Norrøna items not in use, REfresh gear to prep for upcoming seasons, or “try before you buy” at the Rental shop.
“To achieve zero waste, we have to rely on a circular economy in practice, which is a fascinating model with which to conduct our business,” said Jørgensen.
Modern event space
Originally for conferences and presentations, the modern theatre within Norrøna House is designed with the highest quality materials and most advanced technical solutions. With the capacity to hold 130 guests, the theatre and attached event space comes with a flexible setup and can easily transform into the perfect space to host a fashion show with a catwalk, or a concert.
Naturen Brasserie
Inspired by the company’s vision, “Welcome to Nature,” Naturen Brasserie will debut in 2024 as a new Nordic eatery, offering a blend of hygge and minimalism. Just like Norrøna’s collections, the menu concept will be seasonal and inspired by nature and tradition, and those subtle ties to nature will be evident to all those who dine at the restaurant. From locally sourced ingredients, exposed raw materials and spectacular views of the nearby Fåbrofossen waterfall, Naturen Brasserie is a result of Norrøna’s ambition to have House guests feel inspired and cared for.
“My motivation stems from bringing Norrøna’s vision, ‘Welcome to nature’ to life. I look forward to experimenting with high quality produce and drawing inspiration from Norwegian traditions and history, just as Norrøna has done with their collections,” said Maria Korotaeva, Naturen Brasserie Food and Beverage Manager.
Responsibility to a Historic Setting
Originally built in 1862, the 9,800-square-foot renovated former paper factory is situated in the heart of Lilleaker, a previously industrial part of Norway’s capital- turned-upscale-business district. It was important for Norrøna to choose materials that have longevity. The hot rolled steel used throughout the House is 90 percent recycled and was chosen based on its resemblance to the Trollveggen mountain face. All the woodwork used was traced and sourced responsibly. All of the lighting was changed to LED lighting and the brand’s building partner, Mustad, worked with a sustainable power solution.
“It’s essential to choose materials that reflect the quality of the product and the brand. It has to be of the highest quality so that when you enter a Norrøna store, office, showroom, wherever – you know right away where you are. All the choices should reflect that,” said Bård Kvamme, Director of Norrøna Retail.
As a means to preserve as much heritage of the building as possible, the contracted building team consciously took apart the original bricks of the former factory, washed the bricks, and then reused them for both the interior and exterior walls of the new. For Norrøna, the commitment to keeping as much of the heritage as possible is a top priority.
An International Housewarming Event
The new headquarters is located in Lysaker, Norway. There will be an in-store event in all retail stores all across the world on Nov. 10, celebrating the Norrøna House launch. To celebrate the occasion, loyalty members purchasing a product in all Norrøna retail stores will be eligible for giveaways that will include full lofoten kits that can be personalized with an in-house designer, an all-inclusive weekend at the Canvas Hotel, Norrøna’s luxury lodge situated in the heart of the Norwegian wilderness, and more.
For more information, please visit www.norrona.com
For media inquiries, please reach out to Rob Steffens, rob.steffens@rygr.us
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About Norrøna: In 1929, Norwegian outdoor enthusiast Jørgen Jørgensen founded Norrøna after his search for reliable outdoor equipment for the unpredictable and harsh landscapes of Norway. Four generations later, the company is still operated by the family and has added adventure travel to their portfolio. They have inherited a passionate commitment to continually improve products with sustainable, design-based solutions. The product range includes: mountain sports, skiing and snowboarding, mountain biking, surfing, trail running, hiking and hunting.
