There is no shortage of weird and wonderful places to do a day’s work in London that aren’t your office.
From hole-in-the-wall cafes to a houseboat on the canal, the advent of technology and flexitime means that we can pretty much pitch up anywhere with a powerpoint; but we’re fairly sure opportunities to do so in the throes of a designer sportswear shop are few and far between.
That was, of course, until Adidas Originals opened its brand new 1,900 square-foot flagship on Hanbury Street in Shoreditch.
Like any decent sports retailer, its walls are lined with the latest in lycra, but smack bang in the middle of the shop is a colossal table tailor-made for co-working.
Billed as “a destination for local creatives to meet, network and bring their ideas to life”, the brand is aiming to insert itself into the local community by “acting as an incubator of local subculture”, showcasing projects from London creators via a permanent activation wall installed in the store.
UK brand director Barry Moore said the store would deliver “a unique retail experience, combined with a platform to champion young local creatives in the East London area”.
“Reflecting the city’s originality and creativity, we want to provide an environment for our consumers to purchase the best of Adidas Originals streetwear products, but also spend time and network within the space alongside other like-minded people and Originals collaborators.”
But a shop is still a shop, at the end of the day, so alongside superfast broadband and powerpoints galore, the space will showcase and distribute handpicked drops, top of the line apparel and limited edition products, like the London Campus pack.
Launched to celebrate the opening of the flagship, the limited edition run are split into regional designs, all individually numbered and featuring exclusive heel and sock liner artwork, as well as punched through N, E, S, W letters on the tongue as a nod to the Capital’s postcode system.
But with only 200 pairs in circulation, the London Campus doesn’t come cheap, so best get to work.
