The adidas Superstar Ravi's was a collaboration that took the entire region by storm.

Never before had a sneaker drop in the city of Dubai made as many headlines as this.

Because this was the first brand collaboration that meant so much to the people who've called Dubai home for generations.

The launch evolved from being a one-time sneaker drop to becoming the biggest cultural phenomenon to take place in the city.

Brand collaborations have always focused on partnering with musicians, artists, or other iconic brands. But when it came to Dubai, we wanted to represent the people of the city. A community that has called Dubai home for over four decades, made up of over fifty nationalities.

So choosing to collaborate with yet another artist representing these people just wasn't going to cut it. We needed to find a name to partner with that represented their history in the UAE, their way of life, and gave them a sense of home despite being far away from where they all originally come from.

Instead of partnering with artists or musicians that represented this diverse community, we collaborated with the one place that has been their sense of home for 42 years. A little restaurant called Ravi.

We turned this four-decade-old local Dubai restaurant into a global pop culture phenomenon by redesigning the iconic adidas Superstar sneakers to create the SUPERSTAR RAVI’s.

The first-ever sneaker by the brand dedicated to a restaurant. Because this local street food favourite was so much more. It was the identity of the people who've grown up enjoying the food. It's been the place that gathered people from all ethnicities or economic backgrounds and gave them a reason to come together despite their differences. United by the flavours that they all share a common love for.

As our objective was to create a collaboration that represented and celebrated the city of Dubai, we chose to go in the opposite direction of what the world is accustomed to seeing from this city.

We wanted to show the world a different, more authentic side of Dubai. Away from the glitz and glamour. The side of the city that belongs to people who have called it home for generations, even before the record-breaking skyline existed.

So, instead of following the rule book of brand collaborations that recommends partnering with upcoming artists or influential personalities to appeal to different communities, we turned one of the oldest and most iconic adidas sneakers into a celebration of the one place in Dubai that holds a special place in the heart of every resident. A small culinary gem, hidden away in the oldest part of the city - Ravi.

Taking every detail of the restaurant’s identity, and all that it means to the people who call Dubai home, we infused the essence of this community hub into every aspect of the shoes.

- The in-soles illustrated with the origins of the Ravi.

- A completely new shade was created to match the colour of the uniforms worn by the restaurant's waiters and staff.

- The adidas Originals logo was replaced with the original Ravi logo from when it first opened

-The menu which hasn’t changed in 40 years, was printed on the tongue of each shoe.

Every addition was meticulously done to turn the love people have for this humble restaurant into an ownable, and wearable statement.

To make the launch an unmissable event for press and media, we let the Ravi restaurant do a complete takeover of all flagship adidas stores.

-Stocks sold out in 15 minutes on the adidas online store

-The physical flagship store broke the record for the longest line seen in Dubai

-Shoes started being resold on aftermarket sites for over a hundred times the original price

- +32.3M social reach

- +$6.7M PR Value

- 646M PR Reach

Over the years, Dubai has gained the perception of being the home of glitz and glamour in the Middle East. The luxurious allure of the city has overshadowed the roots that his incredible place was built.

Ravi is a restaurant that still remains in the ever-evolving city as a symbol of Dubai's origins. It is a testament to all those who come to Dubai every year in search of the life they have always dreamed to have.

It is a community of its own.

That is why, when it came to adidas's first collaboration in the city, it chose to go against the norm of tying up with artists, musicians, or other brands, and used this as an opportunity to celebrate what this city truly stands for.

The UAE is predominantly an immigrant country. Most of the population here comprises of ambitious individuals who have left their home countries to find success in Dubai.

For many, life initially is a struggle. Finding their footing is not always easy. Having to do it all while being away from their homes and families makes it even harder.

Ravi has been a small little restaurant for the past 42 years. For these past four decades, it has played just one role, to give the people who come to make it in Dubai a place that reminds them of home and one that brings them together.

This is where people have always collected to share stories, challenges, hopes, and of course, delicious food.

Over time, Ravi has become inseparable from Dubai. It is more than a restaurant. It is a symbol of the hardworking people that have built this country.