adidas’ flagship Mitte store has undergone a makeover – one which celebrates Berlin’s artistic and cultural diversity.

On October 30th, the adidas Originals flagship store in Münzstraße reopened its doors after an extensive period of remodelling.

This facelift has transformed the Mitte store into THE COLLECTION – a concept store where adidas’s world-renowned sports and fashion apparel share the stage with interactive, digital and artistic storytelling elements.

This storytelling concept has been designed to showcase adidas’s long heritage, where the business sees itself right now and how it plans to change and improve going into the future.

Sustainability is at the core of this redesign. Wherever possible, recycled and reclaimed materials have been used in its construction, including recycled flooring, vintage and used furniture and decorations, plus upcycled elements including sofas and soft furnishings made from second-hand, sewn-together tracksuits.

The store also features a permanent exhibition on adidas’s dedication to fighting plastic waste.

Visit the store’s microsite here.

Retail space reimagined by local artists.

The design of adidas’s new concept store is the result of a multitude of collaborations between local Berlin artists, designers and creatives. From the storefront to the changing rooms, the work of Berlin artists such as Monja Gentschow, Nadine Goepfert, ACTE TM, Julia Schoierer aka Sneakerqueen, Sebastian Haslauer and MADWOMEN Collective is ever-present.

The intention was to create a new platform for local artists, giving them the opportunity to present their art and ideas within the store, further solidifying adidas’s place within Berlin and its culture.

Moves towards further inclusivity.

Diversity and inclusivity are also hot topics in adidas’s new flagship store. One facet of this is their mixed-gender merchandising concept. Gone are divisions between men’s and women’s departments – now all of their products are presented as ungendered, demarcated, for all.

Another facet is the artwork, particularly a photo portrait gallery by MADWOMEN Collective.

MADWOMEN Collective’s female faces of Berlin diversity.

MADWOMEN is a Berlin-based collective for women who “embrace diversity and female empowerment, especially among various cultures. Women supporting women who all bring a different skill set to the table”. This is what Marlen and Larteyley, the founders of MADWOMEN Collective, said about their latest collaboration with adidas.

“In Berlin, the population is not reflected in the advertisements we see. So it was not difficult at all to include only POC women, because there are so many.”

“Our goal was to show an actual representation of the diversity seen in and around Berlin. We wanted to show women that are more than just pretty, but that all bring a different talent or skill to the table.”

“We wanted to photograph them in a way that gives credit to their personality. That’s why we chose to mix couture fashion with sportswear – it shows them in a majestic and beautiful yet strong and independent way. We love that these characteristics can coexist for women today.”

“Each woman stands for her culture, her story, her career and how she made it to where she is now. All of them have a story to tell.”

“Diversity is not something you showcase, but something you should understand in all its complexity. There is so much that companies and individuals (including us) can learn from having a diverse team with different viewpoints on ideas and concepts.”

Of course, this is still an adidas store and their products are a major part of it.

On top of their adidas Originals product lines, the store will also feature limited-edition collections that have been created in partnership with world-famous names such as Beyoncé, Kanye West and Pharrell Williams.

You can find out more about adidas’s “THE COLLECTION” concept store here.

adidas Originals
Münzstraße 13-15
10178 Berlin

This sponsored article was made in collaboration with adidas.