In surprise mash up between sneaker culture and Dubai’s food scene, global sports retailer Adidas has announced the launch of a limited-edition SUPERSTAR RAVI shoe in an effort to celebrate community focused restaurants in cities around the world.
The drop, which will be available from June 23 at select retailers in Dubai and online, is part of a series of 11 sneakers celebrating iconic eateries in 11 cities worldwide.
In Dubai, the collaboration highlights one of the city’s most nostalgic and culturally relevant joints – Ravi restaurant – which has long served both expat and Emirati foodies.
In a twist on the adidas Original Superstar, the special edition SUPERSTAR RAVI colorway references the Pakistani heritage of the owners and features a custom sock liner with a hand-drawn map design signifying the meaning of the name Ravi, meaning “river” which is in Northeastern Pakistan. The heel tab branding includes the year Ravi opened alongside the name in English and Arabic on either shoe. The restaurant owners hand selected six dishes which have been added to the tongue of the sneakers with English on one side and Arabic on the other and each pair of shoes are delivered in a special edition takeaway style box.
“My family has worked so hard to bring Ravi to where it is now, it has become more than just a restaurant with staff and customers, it has become a home that many grew up with. To say that Ravi had a humble beginning and is now representing Dubai as a key city with adidas is a milestone to celebrate,” said Ravi founder Chaudary Abdul Hameed in a released statement.