adidas by Stella McCartney Opens Global Flagship Store

    LONDON, ENGLAND, June 17, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- adidas and long-term collaborator, Stella McCartney are delighted to announce the opening of the first adidas by Stella McCartney stand-alone store on Saturday 26th May, 2012 in London, UK.

The opening of the store, which is next to the new Stella McCartney mainline and kid's store, which opened in April 2012, is the final addition to the 'World of Stella' retail experience. After a successful eight year relationship between sportswear brand and acclaimed designer, opening the first store seemed a natural next step, further cementing the relationship between them, leveraging both brands expertise and continuing the brand's legacy to make women look great at the same time as keeping an active and sports lifestyle.

adidas has worked in collaboration with Stella McCartney to create a bespoke concept and fit, challenging preconceptions of sports environments. The space combines both traditional and modern materials in innovative combinations, with new colours and textures sought for sport. Throughout the store, artistic composition balanced with functional simplicity, creating juxtaposition is prevalent. Colour and lightness are explored with delicate wall hanging, sculptural simplicity and block colour walls.

Stella McCartney was intimately involved in every aspect of the design, material selections and store layout. The focal point at the stores centre culminates to boast a chain link sculptural element in laminated timber, which encircles a display of lightweight athletic clothing; sculptural form is combined seamlessly with material and crafted quality. The shopping environment provides a premium experience whilst still using the product as the central focus.

Stella McCartney comments, "This store is a real celebration of what we have been building for the last 8 years together with adidas and hopefully it is going to be the home for women to go to and find everything they need for their sports and at the same time not having in any way, to sacrifice their style. It's very much part of the world of Stella McCartney store that we have opened in Brompton Cross, and it's really the icing on the cake, as far as it is expressing the different facets of the brand."

Nick Craggs, adidas UK Marketing Director comments, "The vision was to create a great and unique store concept that positions the adidas by Stella McCartney label as a premium sports collection. This store will enforce our connection to deliver great product for woman in the one and only store dedicated to only selling adidas by Stella McCartney collections. This store will also launch our next generation of store design for presenting the adidas by Stella McCartney label worldwide."

About Stella McCartney

On September 8, 2004, adidas and Stella McCartney announced a long-term partnership in New York, presenting the adidas by Stella McCartney sport performance collection. For the first time ever a high-end fashion designer created a functional sport performance range for women. The first collection became available in stores across the U.S., Japan and Europe in spring/summer 2005.

Offering products for Running, Winter sports, Weekender, Studio, Yoga, Cycling, Tennis, Golf, Essentials and Swim including Surf, adidas by Stella McCartney was truly a first and a genuine innovation in the women's sportswear market.

In 2010, adidas, official sportswear provider for Team GB and ParalympicsGB, appointed British designer Stella McCartney as Creative Director for the British team kit for the London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games. The British designer has overseen the creation of every aspect of the national team's performance kit and the announcement is a first for the British team whose competition wears has been provided by adidas since 1984. The partnership between McCartney and adidas, means that for the first time a fashion designer is involved in the entire look of the national team.

Stella McCartney is a partnership between Ms. Stella McCartney and PPR's luxury division established in 2001 as a 50/50 joint venture. A lifelong vegetarian, Stella McCartney does not use any leather or fur in her designs. Stella McCartney handbags, ready-to-wear, accessories, lingerie, kids clothing, fragrance and the adidas by Stella McCartney collections are available through 16 freestanding stores including London, New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Milan and at the Palais Royal in Paris as well around 600 wholesale accounts in key cities worldwide including Le Bon Marche and Galeries Lafayette in Paris.

Stella McCartney now operates 17 freestanding stores in locations including Manhattan's Soho, London's Mayfair, LA's West Hollywood, Paris' Palais Royal and Milan, and recently opened doors in Rome and Miami. Her collections are now distributed in over 50 countries through 600 wholesale accounts including specialty shops and department stores.

Website: http://www.stellamccartney.co.uk

# # #