From Saudi Arabia to the world

adidas x Arwa Al Banawi

A drop from the desert to the world

The first global limited edition adidas collab with a designer from Saudi Arabi. We launched it in the desert where it was born, to the world, during a time where we couldn’t gather.

A sofa with ornate floral upholstery and fringe along the edges, adorned with three red and white houndstooth patterned Adidas bags and a brochure on the armrest.
“The first Middle Eastern designer to collaborate with adidas on a global limited edition.”
— Savoir Flair

Client
adidas x Arwa Al Banawi

Market
Saudi Arabia, MENA, Global

Scope
Campaign concept, global shoot production, activation concept, installation design, retail activation, hype drop programming, influencer strategy, content

A modern, transparent glass structure with an arched entrance, located in a desert with rocky red cliffs in the background and a clear sky overhead.
Person wearing white Adidas sneakers, white ribbed skirt, and striped socks standing on rocky terrain in a desert landscape with a goat nearby and mountains in the background.
Decorative glass enclosure with desert plants and rocks, featuring a pink curved canopy, situated inside a shopping mall.
A white Adidas sneaker displayed inside a glass case with a patterned fabric base at a store or exhibition.
Glass display case with Adidas and Arwa Al Banawi branding, showcasing sneakers, in a decorated room with patterned fabric drapes and colorful textiles.
Interior of a modern retail store with mannequins dressed in athletic and casual clothing, sneakers displayed in glass cases, and colorful promotional posters on the walls. There is a red patterned rug, a sofa, and a small black table in the foreground.

Launch the first global adidas limited edition collab with a Middle Eastern designer in a way that honored the cultural roots of the sneaker's design and gave the region's fashion community a moment that felt genuinely theirs.

BRIEF

Shoot the global campaign in Al Ula, the ancient landscape that inspired the design, and build a impactful installation in the desert as the hero visual. Then bring it back to ground level. A sneaky invite-only Dubai souq pop-up inside an existing textile shop, repurposed with art direction, props, and casually hung content from the Al Ula shoot. The guests were influencers in the Arabian style space, people for whom the shemagh reference would hit properly, and for whom seeing a Saudi woman's work on a global adidas product actually meant something. Installation to retail to souq. Desert to shop floor.

INSIGHTS & APPROACH

Global campaign content shot and produced in the region. A desert installation that commanded attention and drove coverage. A souq drop that connected high fashion to its actual cultural roots. The first time a Middle Eastern designer's vision reached adidas' global audience, launched in the lands that inspired it.

EXECUTION & IMPACT

What it took to succeed.