NY Islanders: Isles Lab

Fashion-forward team merchandise

Having developed the branding for UBS Arena—the new home of the New York Islanders—we set out to make the arena’s team store and merchandise as groundbreaking as the arena experience. The goal was to go beyond the typical NHL team shop and create a true cultural statement: youthful, hip, and setting a new standard for fan merchandise and engagement.

Our solution was to reimagine the store as a fashion-forward boutique, featuring collaborations with name designers, stylish reimaginings of Islanders branding, throwback gear, and irreverent merchandise that captured the spirit of the fanbase. Along with developing the concept, naming, and branding, we also oversaw the launch of the retail website. The result was a cultural phenomenon that resonated far beyond traditional hockey fans, cementing the Islanders’ position as trailblazers in the NHL.

"Islanders' Isles Lab An In-Arena Retail, Cultural Success"

Forbes

Link to Forbes article here

Photography: NY Islanders

Vintage and heritage-inspired New York Islanders hats, knit caps and collectibles displayed inside Isles Lab at UBS Arena. Love & War developed the Isles Lab concept, naming, branding and merchandise program, drawing on Islanders history and New York culture to create a distinctive retail experience that blends NHL heritage with contemporary sportswear and fashion.
Interior of Isles Lab at UBS Arena featuring New York Islanders memorabilia, vintage-inspired graphics and the team’s mascots within the store’s distinctive retail environment. Love & War developed the Isles Lab concept, naming, branding and merchandise program, creating a New York Islanders retail experience rooted in team history, fan culture and contemporary design.
Custom New York Islanders hats and foam finger merchandise created for Isles Lab, the team’s retail concept at UBS Arena. Love & War developed the Isles Lab concept, naming, branding and merchandise program, creating a fashion and culture-driven approach to NHL fan apparel and New York Islanders merchandise.
Custom New York Islanders apparel created for Isles Lab, the team’s fashion-forward retail concept and online store at UBS Arena. Love & War developed the Isles Lab concept, name, branding and merchandise program, reimagining traditional NHL fan gear through original graphics, throwback influences, designer collaborations and a more culturally driven approach to sports merchandise.
A curated display of vintage New York Islanders hockey equipment, including skates, helmets, gloves, sticks and goalie gear, inside Isles Lab at UBS Arena. Love & War developed the Isles Lab concept, naming, branding and retail experience, using Islanders history and hockey culture to create a distinctive alternative to the traditional NHL team store.
New York Islanders fans wearing Isles Lab apparel and merchandise, reflecting the brand’s more fashion and culture-driven approach to traditional NHL fan gear. Love & War developed the Isles Lab concept, naming, branding and merchandise program, positioning the New York Islanders retail platform at the intersection of sports, streetwear and New York culture.
“Defend NY” New York Islanders hoodie created for Isles Lab, the team’s fashion and culture-driven retail platform at UBS Arena. Love & War developed the Isles Lab concept, naming, branding and merchandise program, creating original New York Islanders apparel that brings a contemporary streetwear sensibility to NHL fan merchandise.
Interior of Isles Lab at UBS Arena, featuring a curated mix of New York Islanders apparel, accessories, collectibles and exclusive merchandise. Love & War developed the Isles Lab concept, name, branding and merchandise program, reimagining the traditional NHL team store as a fashion-forward retail and cultural experience for Islanders fans.
New York Islanders puppy wearing a custom team jersey outside UBS Arena at Belmont Park, home of the Islanders. Love & War helped shape the UBS Arena brand and fan experience across hospitality, retail, merchandise and branded environments, creating a more distinctive and culturally relevant expression of the New York Islanders throughout the venue.