Dubai's iconic Ravi Restaurant teams up for sneaker collaboration with Adidas

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In an unexpected mash-up that has left sneakerheads in the UAE' super excited', international sports retailer Adidas announced a limited-edition shoe dedicated to Dubai's iconic Pakistani restaurant Ravi.

The collaboration with the eatery hopes to celebrate community-focused culinary hotspots in cities across the world, the brand announced Tuesday. The 'adilicious' sneaker series from Adidas Originals announced the launch of the 'SUPERSTAR RAVI' sneakers on June 14. The limited-edition shoes will be available from June 23 at stores in Dubai.

The adilicious campaign works directly with 11 owners of pioneering restaurants. "Covering 11 restaurants in 11 cities, the series presents 11 culinary-inspired silhouettes, all driven by the mantra – authentic food, real people, fresh sneakers," the brand said in a press release.

The brand also released a campaign promo on its social media channels Tuesday.

The design of the shoes tells the story of each restaurant part of the campaign. It pays homage to venues and people who play an essential role in the fabric of their communities.

Founded in Dubai as a family-owned business in 1978 by Chaudary Abdul Hameed, Ravi Restaurant has served as a hub for diasporic and local families, friends, and creative communities to come together.

Today, the culinary destination is a must-visit hotspot for tourists, locals, expats, and celebrities, including Snoop Dogg, Bollywood stars, world-renowned cricketers, One Republic, and Craig David, amongst others.

The special edition SUPERSTAR RAVI’s colourway references the Pakistani heritage of the owners. It 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 and three sets of laces. “The restaurant owners hand-selected six hero dishes which have been added to the tongue of the sneakers with English on one side and Arabic on the other. Each pair of shoes are delivered in a special edition takeaway style box and comes with a detachable hangtag featuring the restaurant’s logo,” said the brand.

“My family has worked so hard to bring Ravi to where it is now, and 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.