SPORTSWEAR label adidas has opened a retail centre in Beijing, China, “to celebrate creativity [and] self-expression, and to herald the coming” of the world’s biggest sporting event — the
2008 Olympic Games which starts this month.

The adidas Brand Centre, which occupies 3,170sqm across four floors of the Sanlitun Village Shopping Centre in Chaoyang District, is adidas’ largest retail outlet in the world. It carries products
from the brand’s Sport Performance and Sport Style divisions. Products under the Originals and Y-3
labels are also sold at the Brand Centre, inaugurated early last month.

“The opening of the world’s first adidas Brand Centre is another milestone in securing market leadership in China, one of the world’s most important markets for the brand,” said adidas president Erich Stamminger. “The Beijing adidas Brand Centre will serve as a role model for our concept stores in key metropolitan cities around the world.”

The retail centre has an interactive zone that allows shoppers to use adidas technologies normally available only in professional-level sports facilities. Shoppers can get personalised training
recommendations in the store, adidas said.

The store also has an area for shoppers to explore trends and ideas in art, music and culture, as well as new concepts from the adidas brand. It also provides a concierge to guide customers
around the outlet.

adidas, one of the world’s leading brands in sportswear, offers a broad range of products from three core segments: adidas, Rebook and TaylorMade-adidas Golf.

Headquartered in Germany, the adidas group has over 33,000 employees and annual sales of €10.3 billion (US$16.26 billion).