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

The limited-edition shoe will be available for sale on June 23

by

Dhanusha Gokulan

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Published: Tue 14 Jun 2022, 3:06 PM

Last updated: Wed 15 Jun 2022, 7:27 AM

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 instantly recognisable Adidas Originals Superstar trainers have been customised to create ‘Superstar Ravi’ in white and green colours of the pocket-friendly Dubai institution.


The special edition Superstar Ravi 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, as well as three sets of laces in green.


Ravi - A Dubai institution

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, expatriates, and celebrities, including Snoop Dogg, Bollywood stars, world-renowned cricketers, One Republic, and Craig David, amongst others.

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Chaudary Abdul Hameed, founder Ravi Restaurant. Photo: Supplied
Chaudary Abdul Hameed, founder Ravi Restaurant. Photo: Supplied

“My family has worked hard to bring Ravi to where it is now; it has become more than just a restaurant with staff and customers. It has become a home that many grew up with,” Ravi founder Chaudary Abdul Hameed.

“To say that Ravi had a humble beginning and is now representing Dubai as a key city with adidas is a milestone to celebrate”, he added. Currently, the restaurant is managed by Chaudary’s sons – Waqar, Waseem, and Waheed Abdul Hameed.

The six heroes on ‘Superstar Ravi’

The restaurant owners hand-selected six ‘hero’ Ravi dishes - mutton Peshawari, chicken biryani, chicken tikka, daal fry, Karak chai, and Punjabi lassi - 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.

adidas campaign. Photo: Supplied
adidas campaign. Photo: Supplied

“We chose the six hero dishes because not only are they a community favourite, but we believe these are the must-haves at Ravi restaurant. Our six special dishes are featured on the limited-edition sneakers,” said an excited Waheed Abdul Hameed.

“Our first input was selecting the Superstar sneaker, an iconic adidas silhouette, for the collaborative sneaker. We shared our vision with the global adidas design to help bring the sneaker to life. Our story is prevalent through the sneaker, and we’re so happy with the outcome,” said Waseem Abdul Hameed.

Commenting on the unlikely yet delightful match, Waqar said, “As our restaurant is one of the city’s most nostalgic and culturally relevant restaurants, the match was perfect.”

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What is the adilicious campaign?

The collaboration with Ravi hopes to celebrate community-focused culinary hotspots in cities worldwide as part of the brand’s recently-launched ‘adilicious’ campaign.

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.

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

The limited-edition shoes will be available from June 23 online and in select stores in Dubai, said adidas.


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