Adidas on Thursday opened the doors of its new Oxford Street flagship store in London. The retail shop combines digital innovation, unique shopper experiences and a focus on in-store experts to create a new benchmark in retail.
“We’re confident with the new Adidas LDN store we have created an unrivalled experience for shoppers, our most digital store ever, a hub of creativity and innovation for the city and the very best expression of our brand all in one amazing blockbuster destination,” said Roland Auschel, Adidas executive board member, responsible for global sales.
Over 100 digital touchpoints – all 100 percent powered by green energy – feature throughout the store, each with a clear focus on improving consumer experience or inspiring creativity from visitors.
The new store design has included embedding bespoke innovations into the Adidas app, including a ‘Bring It to Me’ feature which uses in-store geolocation tracking to provide an uninterrupted browsing experience. Shoppers can scan products, check stock, request their size and purchase on the spot as they shop without the need for queues or designated collection spaces. Additionally, on the app sneakerheads will be able to book in reminders for upcoming releases by interacting with a Hype Wall digital display on the ground floor.
In The Base visitors will get to take part in product experiences, activations and interactive challenges in an immersive environment made from LED screens and flooring that can change mood and purpose at the click of a button. Along with the MakerLab customization hub, it will host a program of regular events to bring creativity back to the heart of Oxford Street.
Just as Adidas LDN sits in the heart of London, the city runs through the heart of the store. Bespoke ‘LDN’ product has been designed and will be exclusively sold in-store. Each floor of the store features also original commissions from London artists. Most strikingly, a Union Jack installation made from 1,000 national flags celebrates the ‘city of a thousand nations’; a diversity also reflected by an in-store team who speak 31 different languages.
The store’s digital innovations are augmented by a range of bespoke services that bring the best of boutique shopping to Oxford Street. Consumers can use the Adidas app to book a slot with Crep Protect at an in-store sneaker cleaning service, arrange a product test in the Running Lab or secure a bra-fitting appointment with a team of experts.
Interactive changing room mirrors use RFID technology to recognise products and provide information, with shoppers also able to request different sizes and colours without leaving the space. For those who can’t quite find the right fit, on-site seamstresses are available to make the crucial final tweaks.
“The new Adidas LDN store is more than a retail experience of the brand, it’s going to be a beacon for us in the city,” said Chris Walsh, VP brand, Adidas North Europe. “Whether its designing in the MakerLab, finding the perfect footwear in the Running Lab or competing in The Base, this is a place where communities from all corners of London and beyond can come together and create.
Across four floors, Adidas LDN features the very best of the brand across sport and style including the widest range of football apparel and footwear, the latest Originals designs and collaborations including Adidas YEEZY, alongside Adidas by Stella McCartney and Y-3 specific areas. Throughout the whole store, consideration has also been given to respecting and protecting the environment by using a large range of sustainable and responsibly sourced materials including recycled plastic, foam and textiles.
