Adidas has opened its new London flagship store, which is full of artwork commissioned by local artists and nods to the brand’s heritage.
Adidas’ new Originals shop, opened in London’s Soho, has been designed with its destination keenly in mind, with one-off installations commissioned by local artists, specially designed neon signs from Walthamstow institution God’s Own Junkyard and a 3D-printed trainer sculpture.
The store spans two floors but, at 790 sq ft, is not a large-scale retail emporium – a choice which Northern Europe vice-president Chris Walsh said was deliberate.
“We wanted this store to be truly reflective of the creativity of the city that it is in, not just a drag-and-drop global box that you could find anywhere,” he said.
The store has launched two exclusive lines of trainers that can only be bought there, a Spezial-branded pool table and Pioneer vintage speaker set and DJ booth. These exclusive products and interactive elements will sit alongside sought-after capsule collections such as the upcoming Kanye West Yeezy and Beyonce’s Ivy Park lines, the latter of which will be launched in store at the end of this month.
Adidas has also filled the store with nods to its heritage as a brand, including a display case of sneakers that have been signed by artists such as Missy Elliott and Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Despite opening the store in the midst of a pandemic, Walsh is confident in the long-term appeal of Adidas’ newest flagship.
“We strongly feel there is a long-term consumer appetite for stores like this and places where you can interact on a community level. There’s also a real appetite for hype-based products that are imbued with craft, and storytelling is one of the fastest-growing parts of the market, so you need a retail environment where you can really do that justice,” he said.
The store also has an extensive collection of sneakers across Adidas’ most popular lines with displays organised by style but not separated by gender, which Walsh says was laid out deliberately after listening to Gen Z and millennial shopper feedback.
The brand is also filled with nods to the brand’s sustainability agenda, from upcycled furniture to a Stan Smith 3D printed trefoil mural containing living plants.
Walsh said: “The new Adidas Originals flagship is one of the best expressions of our brand, combining creativity and sustainability with commerce, and creating a home of Originals for London creators. The store will become the destination for the most in-demand Adidas Originals product in London and we look forward to joining the Carnaby neighbourhood in welcoming our Adidas consumers and community.”
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