While traditional retail is losing relevance, concept stores are setting a new direction. Antoni, creative director of NEWBORN K, explains what this format is and what it's really about.
I often get this question. Sometimes in the store, sometimes in a message, sometimes over coffee. And each time I understand that the answer cannot be contained in a single sentence. That's why I'll tell you more, using our space as an example.
NEWBORN K is a concept store with a selection of niche, international brands for people with good taste who are tired of the obvious. The name speaks for itself: a new perspective on what a store should be. A place built on the team's real experience in fashion retail, not on abstract ideas.
WHERE THE IDEA CAME FROM
I have 10 years of experience in advertising and 6 years working for top fashion retailers. At some point, it became clear that all this experience could be poured into something of my own. Not another agency or brand, but a space. A place with its own character, a unique selection, and original rules.
I was incredibly lucky with my partner. Dmytro Rudakov caught on to my idea from day one. He is responsible for the entire technical foundation: the website, systems, financial infrastructure, and integrations. While I focus on the brands and atmosphere, he ensures that everything runs smoothly. An ideal division of labor.
It's also important that I didn't come to this project alone. Most of the initial NEWBORN K team are professionals from the fashion retail industry. People who intuitively sense the difference between merely expensive clothing and true quality. And this approach is evident in everything: from brand selection to the way we communicate with every guest in our store.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WAS MISSING IN WARSAW
When we started, the market was divided into two extremes. On one side, strictly streetwear stores – with a very specific audience and a narrow profile. On the other – luxury boutiques, which you're afraid to enter due to judging glances, and prices seem astronomical even before you see the tag.
In the middle, there was nothing. There was no place with a good, niche selection, where you could walk in without embarrassment and just talk to the team like people. NEWBORN K filled that gap.
CONCEPT STORE VS. REGULAR STORE
Classic retail always works to mass demand. People want sneakers – the store brings in sneakers. A concept store is built around a specific vision. We choose brands that we find interesting, and then we explain to our customers why they deserve attention.
While the mass market operates on the principle of "more is better," a concept store follows a different logic: less, but more precise. There are no random items here – every piece on the hanger is there for a clear and specific reason.
A regular store is easy to replace with another. That's not the case with a concept store, because you come here not only for products but for a curated perspective. If NEWBORN K brings in a brand, it means it has passed through our internal filter. For the customer, this saves time and guarantees a good choice.
HOW WE SELECT BRANDS
We have three filters by which we select brands. The first is history: a brand must have a unique background that is interesting to tell our customers about. The second is the quality-to-price ratio: we must be confident that we won't be ashamed of the product and that it will find its audience. The third is context and coherence: a new brand must organically blend with those already on the hangers. If even one filter is not met, the brand does not make it into our assortment.
Every brand at NEWBORN K has its own concept and story. It's not a random assortment of whatever sells well at the moment, but a selection built around a specific point of view – and that is exactly what a concept store is in action.
Today, NEWBORN K features over 60 niche international brands, each with its own unique aesthetic. There's the streetwear legend Carhartt WIP, avant-garde Scandinavian design from Han Kjøbenhavn, urban-surf style from New Amsterdam Surf Association, refined Danish basics from Bareen, the iconic Italian tech brand C.P. Company, technical optics and apparel from Oakley, outdoor minimalism from Klättermusen, American outdoor brand Gramicci, Ukrainian techwear from RiotDivision, Parisian provocation and post-irony from Carne Bollente, and functional bags from Côte&Ciel.
A separate place in our selection is occupied by technical footwear from norda, ROA, and Salomon, which we have already written about in our article on the phenomenon of contemporary running culture.
ABOUT THE CUSTOMER
There is no typical customer profile here, because all people are different. However, there is something that unites them: good taste and a desire for something out of the ordinary.
About 70% of our guests know at most two or three brands from our assortment. Most discover new names right in the store. We regularly observe someone coming in for one specific item and leaving with something completely different because they fell in love with something else along the way.
As for pricing, we usually have a three-step logic. First, we tell the brand's story. Then we show the materials, details, and cut. And then we simply suggest trying it on. Further explanations are no longer needed; a good item speaks for itself.
WHY A PHYSICAL STORE IS IMPORTANT
Online sells items, and a physical space sells an experience. For us, the key is the atmosphere of a place where you can not only make a purchase but also truly relax. And we ourselves genuinely enjoy meeting new people.
Our customers often describe NEWBORN K as a friendly, unobtrusive place where you are awaited as a guest, not just so you'll necessarily buy something. You can simply talk to the team or stroll along the racks as if in a gallery, listening to interesting stories about items and brands.
That's the essence of a concept store. It's not a format. It's a philosophy.
Visit us at 2 Krucza Street in Warsaw or browse the full assortment online.
FAQ
What is a concept store in simple terms? A concept store is a shop built around a specific stance and curated selection, rather than around mass demand. Every brand and every item is there for a specific reason. Unlike a regular multi-brand store, a concept store is always someone's point of view on what is worth wearing and why.
How does a concept store differ from a boutique? A boutique is usually associated with glitz, distance, and the feeling that you need to justify your presence inside. With a concept store, it's the opposite: the atmosphere is friendly, the team is always open to conversation,
and you can enter even without planning to make a purchase.
What brands are at NEWBORN K in Warsaw? Over 60 niche international brands: Carhartt WIP, Salomon, norda, ROA, Oakley, Han Kjøbenhavn, Rombaut, and many others. A full list of brands can be viewed here.
Where is NEWBORN K located in Warsaw? The physical store is located in Warsaw at 2 Krucza Street. The online store with delivery throughout Poland is located at newbornk.pl.
Can one just look around without intending to buy? Yes, and it is welcome. That's why we exist as a physical place.
