Nordstrom Furthers Its Allbirds Partnership With NYC Pop-Up as the Retailer Looks to Build Sustainable Offering

Nordstrom is teaming up with Allbirds again, this time on a five-week Center Stage pop-up at the department store’s New York flagship.

Open now through Sept. 6, Nordstrom will offer men’s and women’s Allbirds styles — including the popular Wool Runner, Tree Runner, Tree Lounger, Tree Breezer, Tree Flyer and Tree Dasher sneakers — in the Center Stage area of its 57th Street flagship.

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The Seattle-based retailer added that its customers can also shop the range on Nordstrom.com and in 25 other select stores. In addition, Smallbirds, the footwear brand’s kids’ line, will be available as well at the New York flagship pop-up and on Nordstrom.com.

According to the department store giant, its NYC pop-up experience is curated like a “supernatural garden path” that aims to tell the Allbirds story. The space features wool-covered pillars, a nod to the ZQ Merino wool used in the footwear brand’s Wool Runner, alongside storytelling pods inspired by the eucalyptus tree fiber in Allbirds’ new Tree Flyer running shoe.

Credit: Connie Zhou for Nordstrom
Credit: Connie Zhou for Nordstrom

Connie Zhou for Nordstrom

The opening of the NYC pop-up shop will be celebrated at the store on Tuesday, Aug. 9, from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

“Our customers love Allbirds and we’re excited to bring our New York customers the opportunity to explore the world of Allbirds through our five-week Center Stage pop-up,” Tacey Powers, EVP and GMM for shoes at Nordstrom, told FN. “Both Nordstrom and Allbirds operate with a shared value of sustainability.”

Powers added that all products made by Allbirds qualify for Nordstrom’s Sustainable Style category, which curates products made with sustainably sourced materials and ingredients, that are responsibly manufactured or packaged and that give back. By 2025, Powers noted, Nordstrom is aiming to ensure 15% of its product assortment qualifies for Sustainable Style.

“We’re proud to be Allbirds’ exclusive lifestyle retail partner, which aligns with our focus of being a partner of choice and delivering the best selection across the brands that matter most to our customers,” Powers added.

Credit: Connie Zhou for Nordstrom
Credit: Connie Zhou for Nordstrom

Connie Zhou for Nordstrom

Kate Ridley, chief brand officer at Allbirds, said in a statement, “The partnership between Allbirds and Nordstrom is an amazing platform to elevate conversations on sustainability, conscientious carbon consumption and waste in the fashion industry. This is a conversation we’re excited to lead and share with Nordstrom customers at Center Stage, who will see first-hand there is no need to compromise on style, comfort or sustainability.”

This isn’t the first time the two brands have teamed up. In 2018, Nordstrom launched “Pop-In@Nordstrom Welcomes Allbirds” for the brand’s first national and international in-store retail partnership.

And in May, president and chief brand officer Pete Nordstrom announced on the company’s first quarter earnings call that Allbirds would be offered in 14 of its stores around the country. Some of the stores receiving the line included locations in New York City; Downtown Seattle; Palo Alto, Calif.; Century City in L.A.; the Houston Galleria; and Tysons CornerCenter in Tysons Corner, Va.

As for what’s next for the two companies, Powers had this to add: “We look forward to growing our partnership with Allbirds and expanding our Sustainable Style assortment.”

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