Launched in April 2025, adidas’ latest initiative builds meaningfully upon its earlier project, Old Jumeirah — a campaign that championed the spirit of community, heritage, and the enduring legacy of craftsmanship. This new chapter deepens that narrative by spotlighting the neighbourhoods that house these traditions, telling stories through powerful visual storytelling and a collection that resonates with authenticity and cultural reverence.

At the heart of the project is an evocative portrayal of a neighbourhood as more than just a geographic space. It becomes a living archive—an urban artery defined by generations of artisans, where tradition is not merely preserved but practiced daily. These are the streets we find in cities around the world: lined with modest workshops, their store-fronts open to passersby, where master craftsmen mould, weave, and forge their wares by hand. These places are not just centres of production but symbols of identity—microcosms of cultural memory passed down through tools, technique, and time.

adidas’ latest collection reimagines traditional craftsmanship by elevating artisans as both cultural stewards and engines of economic and social vitality. Rather than idealizing the past, the project embraces the evolving nature of these crafts, celebrating artisans as adaptive keepers of heritage. The result is a campaign that bridges history and innovation—honouring tradition while inspiring contemporary relevance.

 

  

The Loomhood Collection shoes by adidas on display; The Loomhood Collection launch, Dream Girl Tailors, Al Fahidi, April 18, 2025; Credit:@reemelmutwalli

 

adidas has identified three neighbourhoods as focal points for its tribute to craft, heritage, and community within the Arab world. The campaign turns its lens toward Al Fahidi in Dubai, Diriyah in Riyadh, and Shāri ‘al-Khayāmiyya in Cairo—three historically rich districts whose contributions to local craftsmanship and identity have played a defining role in shaping their cities.

In Dubai, the Al Fahidi neighbourhood serves as a bridge between past and present, where the city’s long-standing tailoring heritage merges effortlessly with contemporary street style. One such legacy endures through Dream Girl Tailors, one of the oldest surviving tailoring ateliers in the Al Fahidi neighbourhood. A family-run establishment rooted in the heart of the community, Dream Girl Tailors has quietly stitched itself into the fabric of local heritage for nearly five decades. For 48 years, its presence has embodied the continuity of craft, memory, and place—an enduring testament to the intimate, generational bond between artisanal labour and cultural identity.

 

Master tailor of Dream Girl Tailors of Al Fahidi branch at work; The Loomhood Collection by adidas, Dream Girl Tailors, Al Fahidi; Credit:Raghe Farah

 

Once home to traditional craftsmen and now a flourishing creative quarter, Al Fahidi also reflects the multicultural fabric of the UAE. The adidas collection, aligned with the UAE’s Year of Community, echoes themes of inclusivity, intergenerational dialogue, and cultural preservation, inviting wearers to explore narratives that span borders and time.

In Riyadh, the historic district of Diriyah stands as a testament to Saudi Arabia’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding traditional artistry. Once the heart of local craft practices, Diriyah embodies the Kingdom’s renewed focus on cultural revitalization under Vision 2030. Celebrating Saudi Arabia’s Year of Handicrafts, adidas draws inspiration from the intricacy of handmade work, highlighting the enduring value of local artisans and their role in shaping Saudi identity and economic resilience.

Further west, Cairo’s Shāri ‘al-Khayāmiyya or Suq al-Khayāmiyy is a pulsating centre of Egypt’s artistic spirit. Tucked within Cairo’s oldest quarters Shāri ‘al-Khayāmiyya has been regarded as the epicentre for textile craftsmanship and tailoring. This district has passed down its handmade mastery and cultural expressions through generations. adidas pays homage to this enduring legacy with a collection that reflects the textures, rhythms, and raw beauty of Cairo’s artisanal soul. Through the lens of El Khayamiya, the campaign acknowledges Egypt’s deeply embedded traditions and the communities that keep them alive.

In this striking celebration adidas launched a limited-edition release that reinterprets two of its most iconic silhouettes, the Samba OG and Handball Spezial, through the lens of Arab artistry. Seamlessly blending streetwear appeal with ancestral craft, this collection is not merely footwear—it is a wearable homage to place, tradition, and cultural continuity.

Each pair in the collection is rooted in place—literally. Embossed with the name of its corresponding neighbourhood and the precise geographic coordinates of the artisan community behind it, every pair serves as a geographic and emotional bridge between the wearer and the craft traditions that shaped the design. These are not just sneakers; they are cultural artifacts in motion.

The laces themselves—often an afterthought in most footwear—take centre stage in The Loomhood Collection. Inspired by traditional fabric patterns unique to the UAE, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, the custom-designed laces function as miniature tapestries of identity and local knowledge. Their intricate motifs pay tribute to techniques passed down through generations, transforming each step into a celebration of heritage.

This culturally nuanced project comes to life through a meaningful collaboration with The Zay Zay: (Arabic: costume, Pl. azyaā’), a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period. Initiative, a nonprofit organization dedicated to safeguarding Arab cultural heritage. Under the guidance of its founder, Dr. Reem Tariq

Ṭariq: (Arabic; Synonym: tulle_bi_talli; talli; badla; khus_dozi ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in the Levant Arab region specifically in Lebanon.

El Mutwalli Dr. Reem Tariq

Ṭariq: (Arabic; Synonym: tulle_bi_talli; talli; badla; khus_dozi ), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in the Levant Arab region specifically in Lebanon.

el Mutwallī: Founder (CEO) of the Zay Zay: (Arabic: costume, Pl. azyaā’), a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period. Initiative, a public figure, speaker and author. An expert curator and consultant in Islamic art and architecture, interior design, historic costume, and UAE heritage., the initiative played a vital role in validating the authenticity of each lace design, ensuring the collection maintains the integrity of the craft forms it seeks to honour. Together, they’ve identified and employed three essential craft styles, each emblematic of the UAE, KSA, and Egypt—reaffirming the importance of cultural specificity in global design narratives.

 

Dr Reem at the launch event; The Loomhood Collection by adidas; Credit:@reemelmutwalli

 

Dr. Reem reflects on the significance of the collaboration, describing it as “profoundly rewarding.” For her, talli

Tallī: (Turkish: tel – wire, string), Gulf Arab – a woven braided trimming made with metal wire, threads and ribbons often sewn on detachable panels used as embellishments. Other – (Synonym: tulle_bi_talli

Tūlle_bi_tallī: (French: Tulle – a city in France where fine material for veil was first made; Turkish: tel – wire; Synonym: tariq; talli; badla; khus_dozi

Khus_dozi: (Persian: Khvosh – an Iranian province; dozi – needlework; Synonym: tariq; talli; tulle_bi_talli; badla), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in Iran and parts of the Arabian Peninsula possibly because Khvosh was one of the centres for the craft.

), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in the North African Arab region specifically in Egypt.

; tariq; badla; khus_dozi

Khus_dozi: (Persian: Khvosh – an Iranian province; dozi – needlework; Synonym: tariq; talli; tulle_bi_talli; badla), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in Iran and parts of the Arabian Peninsula possibly because Khvosh was one of the centres for the craft.

), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment.

 is more than a decorative art—it is an intimate, labor-intensive tradition rooted in the hands of Emirati women, imbued with cultural symbolism and generational memory. Witnessing this craft reimagined within a contemporary, fashion-forward framework, she notes, is not only a tribute to the artisans who have preserved these techniques, but also a powerful reframing of regional dress. It resists notions of cultural stasis, instead presenting heritage as a living continuum—where the past actively enriches the present, and the present, in turn, becomes a custodian of the future.

She further underscores the significance of the collaboration by highlighting its depth of intentionality. This was not a project rooted in surface-level aesthetics, she explains, but rather a commitment to authentic representation and meaningful co-creation. Through the involvement of artisans, cultural institutions, and heritage specialists, adidas Originals fostered a multidimensional narrative—one that honors the intricacies of regional identity. For Dr. Reem and The Zay Zay: (Arabic: costume, Pl. azyaā’), a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period. Initiative, garments are understood as living archives. This collaboration, she notes, offered a rare opportunity to activate that philosophy, situating traditional craftsmanship within a contemporary context that invites global engagement and cultural resonance.

LACE INSPIRATIONS:

In adherence to adidas’ rigorous quality control standards—demanding durability, functionality, and an exacting fit—the laces in the Loomhood Collection represent a contemporary reinterpretation. They are thoughtfully designed interpretations, capturing the essence of the traditional patterns from which they draw inspiration.

 

Laces inspired from Sadu; The Loomhood Collection by adidas; Credit: Raghe Farah

Laces inspired from Talli

Tallī: (Turkish: tel – wire, string), Gulf Arab – a woven braided trimming made with metal wire, threads and ribbons often sewn on detachable panels used as embellishments. Other – (Synonym: tulle_bi_talli

Tūlle_bi_tallī: (French: Tulle – a city in France where fine material for veil was first made; Turkish: tel – wire; Synonym: tariq; talli; badla; khus_dozi

Khus_dozi: (Persian: Khvosh – an Iranian province; dozi – needlework; Synonym: tariq; talli; tulle_bi_talli; badla), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in Iran and parts of the Arabian Peninsula possibly because Khvosh was one of the centres for the craft.

), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in the North African Arab region specifically in Egypt.

; tariq; badla; khus_dozi

Khus_dozi: (Persian: Khvosh – an Iranian province; dozi – needlework; Synonym: tariq; talli; tulle_bi_talli; badla), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in Iran and parts of the Arabian Peninsula possibly because Khvosh was one of the centres for the craft.

), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment.

; The Loomhood Collection by adidas; Credit: Raghe Farah

 

Laces inspired from Khayamiya; The Loomhood Collection by adidas; Credit: Raghe Farah

 

These intricate motifs, inspired from crafts such as talli

Tallī: (Turkish: tel – wire, string), Gulf Arab – a woven braided trimming made with metal wire, threads and ribbons often sewn on detachable panels used as embellishments. Other – (Synonym: tulle_bi_talli

Tūlle_bi_tallī: (French: Tulle – a city in France where fine material for veil was first made; Turkish: tel – wire; Synonym: tariq; talli; badla; khus_dozi

Khus_dozi: (Persian: Khvosh – an Iranian province; dozi – needlework; Synonym: tariq; talli; tulle_bi_talli; badla), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in Iran and parts of the Arabian Peninsula possibly because Khvosh was one of the centres for the craft.

), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in the North African Arab region specifically in Egypt.

; tariq; badla; khus_dozi

Khus_dozi: (Persian: Khvosh – an Iranian province; dozi – needlework; Synonym: tariq; talli; tulle_bi_talli; badla), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment. The term is commonly used in Iran and parts of the Arabian Peninsula possibly because Khvosh was one of the centres for the craft.

), series of small metal knots made on a woven net ground as embellishment.

, sadu, and khayamiya that are deeply rooted in regional identity, are translated into contemporary, wearable forms. adidas recontextualizes the spirit of these crafts, infusing their laces with symbolic patterning and narrative detail while maintaining the technical standards that the brand is known for.

As The Loomhood Collection threads heritage into contemporary form, the lacework stands as a powerful symbol of continuity – linking past craftsmanship with present-day expression. Each motif carries a story, a memory, and a place. In the next segment of this blog, we will explore these stories in greater depth, unpacking the craft processes behind each lace design. We will introduce the master artisans who shaped them and spotlight the neighbourhoods – Al Fahidi, Diriyah, and Shāri‘ al Khayāmiyya – that anchor each tradition. These upcoming profiles offer an intimate look at the cultural, technical, and human elements that form the heart of this collection.