Source: adidas and Concepts Create a Sneakerhead Storm with new store in Boston
I’m not going to mince words, I’ve been pushing hard to land a corporate job in the sneaker world. I’ve applied for a number of positions and I was building my platform on the fact that the big brands didn’t understand what it takes to actually compete in this shifting landscape. The big brands have been so fixated on snatching up real estate in the major cities and creating these omnichannel experience centers that it appeared they weren’t paying attention to the landscape of retail.
Last year I realized what brands like Saucony, Under Armour and ASICS needed was the ability to behave like small, bespoke, boutique, retail outlets and apply the sneakerhead concept to cities via shopping experiences that mimicked Burn Rubber, Flight Club, or Concepts and Bodega. My reason was simple, people are at a point where they care more about the experience of visiting a store vs the reason they visit the store. The reason anyone hits up a store is to buy stuff, but today this has shifted and sometimes people simply want to experience the store.
Series by Bodega: A New Way of Retailing | What Retail Can Learn From Bodega
Bodega understands this more than any other shops out there; at least that what I thought until I saw this adidas x Concepts shop. What adidas has done is personalize the experience of being a sneakerhead. While some analysts think sneakerheads are not important, this shop from adidas and Concepts shows that the Three Stripes realizes the importance of creating people who see kicks beyond just a pair to wear for a purpose. adidas realizes that the culture of sneakerheads is much bigger than teens. adidas is showing that sneaker culture is an experience akin to visiting an art gallery. You might not cop a work of art, but admiring and experiencing the art creates a feeling that can’t be attained by going to a big box like Foot Locker or Finish Line.
Check this out from the site:
Elsewhere in the minimalist, sparsely-designed, 1200 square foot space, sneaker enthusiasts can experience innovative, pinnacle product from the brand with the three stripes, including: sought-after YEEZY styles; footwear from adidas’ longstanding collaborations with designers including Raf Simons, Rick Owens, Stella McCartney and Kolor, among others. Created with unique design elements to inspire Boston’s streetwear community, adidas x Concepts invites fans to make discoveries, build intimate connections with adidas styles, and gain a unique experience that unites elements of design, music, art and architecture—all filtered through Concepts’ signature aesthetic.