Adidas SA opens its most sustainable retail space at V&AAdidas South Africa is opening its most sustainable retail space at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town on Friday, 29 October. Taking inspiration from nature, the 478sqm Adidas concept store is centred around a biophilic design, aimed at bringing the outdoors inside. Taking inspiration from natureBased on the biophilic concept that sees natural elements incorporated into building design, the new adidas concept store features live plants, reclaimed wood and many different types of recycled materials:
Leed certificationLeed (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the most widely used green building rating system in the world. It provides a framework for healthy, highly efficient green buildings. The adidas concept store at the V&A Waterfront is currently undergoing Leed-certification in accordance with the USGBC’s Leed rating system, which amongst other criteria, takes water and energy efficiency, waste management and indoor environmental quality into account. In keeping with the stringent Leed requirements, some of the measures implemented by the Adidas SA team include monitoring the air quality and energy consumption in real time; being able to collect, sort and record waste on-site; and installing a reverse osmosis water purification system. Speaking about the importance of Leed certification, Kate Woods, senior brand director, Adidas South Africa said, “Green buildings are more than just construction and energy efficiency – they’re about helping the communities and cities they serve to thrive safely, healthily and sustainably.” Product offeringConsumers can expect to find a wide range of adidas articles, many of which are made in part with recycled materials. Globally, adidas has made a commitment that by 2025, 9 out of 10 adidas articles will feature a sustainable technology, material, design or manufacturing method. The store also offers a best-in-class showcasing of Adidas Running, Training, Football, Outdoor and Originals products, an exclusive offering of Y-3 footwear and apparel, and Collections by Stella McCartney and Karlie Kloss. To celebrate the opening of the Adidas Concept Store at the V&A Waterfront, there will also be limited edition T-shirts celebrating all that is beautiful about Cape Town. Creative collaborationsWhen it comes to the store aesthetics, look out for the ‘Footwear Reimagined’ display, created by six South African artists, each working with a pair of iconic adidas shoes and materials specific to their craft, to showcase how they imagine footwear could look in the future.
Matthew Edwards has also crafted a spectacular Adidas Trefoil logo for the store, incorporating recycled plastic. The plastic used in the design comes from a beach clean-up held at the Parley Ocean School in Hout Bay in September 2021. Digital innovationAnother aspect of operating more sustainably is moving away from printed in-store graphics to a more digital display. The Adidas Concept store at V&A Waterfront is a continuation of the immersive digital experience launched in the adidas Flagship Store (Sandton City) in July this year. Visitors will find a technology-led store with digital touchpoints throughout to create a range of consumer-first experiences for the South African market. An example is the radio frequency identification (RFID) mirror in the changing rooms, which automatically detects product information to provide consumers with different colour and style options. Sense of communityThe Adidas concept store at the V&A Waterfront will be the new home of Adidas Runners Cape Town, with secure lockers available in-store to store personal belongings while out on a run. Another community-orientated feature is the spacious changing rooms, which are big enough to accommodate those shopping with children or wanting a private bra measurement service so needing a little extra space. And if you’re short on time, make use of the Adidas ‘click and collect’ concierge service by purchasing online ahead of time. The Adidas V&A Waterfront store in Cape Town opens to the public at 9am on Friday, 29 October 2021, and is located at Shop 213 and 214 on the upper level of the V&A Waterfront, Cape Town. Follow the @adidasZA #adidascpt conversation on Instagram for the latest updates, or visit adidas.co.za for more information. |