A group of Dubai-based artists is turning the Adidas flagship store in Dubai into an art hotspot, showcasing the Emirati culture and art laced with the essence of Adidas shoes – all in one place.

Taking the footwear world by storm yet again, Adidas has opened a new flagship store in the Dubai Mall, Dubai. Measuring 16,000 sq. ft., the store is the largest in the region and spearheads a new era of sports embedded in sustainable practices and futuristic athleisure.

Based on the new concept ‘Curated By’, the latest move by Adidas is chiefly aimed at incorporating the creativity of Dubai-based artists into shoe design and showcasing the Emirati culture and art as well as the essence and vision of Adidas as the world’s leading footwear brand. It also challenges the edges of inclusivity by bringing those women on board who have set out to express themselves in their own original way. Kudos for Iraqi creative director, producer and stylist, Zainab Hasoon and Lebanese photographer, Sophia Khalifeh for bringing this vision to life.

Creations being showcased in the store include the workings of henna artist Dr. Azra Khamissa, artist Christopher Joshua Benton, graphic designer ‘Hessa Archives’ and sculptor Latifa Saeed, each offering a piece of their expertise, either to view in store or available to purchase at the Dubai Mall flagship store.

Dr. Azra Khamissa

Dr. Azra Khamissa, a chiropractor by education and henna artist by profession, took the world by storm a few years ago with her minimalist and modern henna designs. Adept in adorning hands and feet, she has now touched leather and is creating intricate patterns by using the same set of materials. Her mind-blowing creations can be found displayed in glass cases at the Dubai flagship store and are not available for purchase. However, as deceivingly perfect and straightforward they may look, working on leather although proved fun for the artist was actually quite a challenge that took a lot of practice before making it public.

Christopher Joshua Benton

Currently based in the UAE, Christopher Joshua Benton is an American artist working in the fields of sculpture, photography and film production. His work revolves around the ideas of power, labour, and hope while working closely with communities and neighbourhoods in hopes of sharing their stories with the world. Drawing from the essence of his work, Christopher’s hand in the Adidas flagship store comes in the form of light sculptures that allow for a moment of nostalgia and escapism as one saunters through the storefront. Anchoring their massive sneaker wall are lightboxes illuminating the phrases like “I want to touch the sky”, “felt that blueness so light”, in English, and ones in Arabic that translate to “great opportunity” and “very best sports shop” in wonderful hues.

Hessa Archives

Hessa Archives is the brainchild of Hessa, an Emirati-born graphic designer and interior decoration expert, whose works, including the one for Adidas, speak for identity and individuality and celebrates all that her nation has to offer. Hessa had representation in mind when she designed the tote bag spelling the Arabic word marhaba across. She is also the only artist in the group that created a piece of art that shoppers could walk out of the store with, with every purchase they make since the launch of this campaign.

Latifa Saeed

An Emarati visual artist, Latifa works mainly in installation, delving in the depths of material exploration and tying it together with cultural narratives to represent her roots and surrounding and the ever evolving nature of both. Her work is constantly inspired by the relationship between land, identity, society, and materiality. Roping in all these different factors, she has put together the beautiful blue braided that looks to be the softest velvet, positioned perfectly in the store for one to drop on after one cruises through the store or just visits for the perfect backdrop for one’s next Instagram picture.