Planet of sports and style
His play is “fast-paced and high-flying” and his style is “smooth.” This is how Philippine national basketball team member Gabe Norwood described himself at the relaunch of the Planet Sports flagship store at the Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Center, in Makati City, which was attended by an enthusiastic crowd of sports personalities, celebrities, suppliers, and media.
“Play + Style” is the new tagline of Planet Sports, which perfectly expresses the fusion of performance and styling in the context of a sporty lifestyle,” Planet Sports merchandise and operations manager Roselle Andaya explains. “It represents the company’s drive as a lifestyle and sports-oriented brand, and its aspiration for people to look their best when training and competing.”
The new look of the flagship expresses this philosophy and serves as the template for the redesign of other stores in the future. Planet Sports currently has 12 outlets nationwide.
Designed by architect Gil Coscolluela, the Planet Sports flagship store sports an edgy, contemporary look with his liberal use of glass and steel, much like the other modern glass buildings he’s designed such as Joya Towers as well as retail stores such as Chronos and Lucerne.
“It’s the fusion of modern design, which is softened by the colors and textures of the apparel, footwear, and other products on display,” Planet Sports president Anton S. Gonzalez notes.
An interesting feature that has the customer in mind is the clear walkway that guides the movement around the store, marked by light ceramic tiles that set it apart from the rest of the store’s rustic stone floor. “There is nothing to block your path, no modules to bump into, as you browse around the store,” Gonzalez remarks. The 500-square-meter store space does not look crowded despite the wide variety of sports and lifestyle products and brands on display.
A multi-branded store such as Planet Sports attracts customers who want an assortment to choose from. “They may come to the store not knowing which particular brand to buy,” Gonzalez observes. “They may want to mix and match — Nike footwear, for example, with an Adidas top. They like the multi-brand experience. They are usually older customers, 25 to 35 years old, who may already have experienced certain brands and would like to try new ones. On the other hand, younger customers 20 to 30 years old might go for style and appearance first before performance, proper fit and comfort. They are often driven by the choices of their friends and peer group.”
Planet Sports carries popular brands such as Nike, Adidas, and New Balance, as well as newer lifestyle brands such as Crocs, Skechers and Speedo. “They are apparel and footwear you’d like to wear, not only for sports but also for gimmicks and casual attire,” Andaya says. Another interesting addition to Planet Sports is Sneaks Speak, a custom shoe shop that allows customers to select and design a pair of blank canvas sneakers with the help of an in-house artist.
“As a sports lifestyle brand, Planet Sports showcases the best apparel options for any major sport to help athletes play in style,” Andaya says. “With the new tagline and look, sports enthusiasts and professional athletes can truly look their best as they excel at their sport. Planet Sports will also focus on expanding its sports apparel lines to provide customers with more options to play with style.”
For Anton Gonzalez, his “play” is running, golf, and racquet sports. His style, single-branded from top to bottom. “The new Planet Sports concept of Play + Style takes us to a new level,” Gonzalez says, “out of the pure sports arena into the wide blue ocean of lifestyle.”
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The Planet Sports flagship store is located on the 2nd floor of Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Center, Makati City.
