The Adidas Originals store in SoHo has reopened after several weeks of renovation as a whole new store. The first thing we noticed: a lot more apparel and surprisingly fewer shoes. The space age sleekness of its previous incarnation has been updated with a more eclectic fashion aesthetic that includes quite a few more racks for clothes. (The old fixtures have migrated a few blocks away to the big Adidas flagship at Houston and Broadway, which, ironically, sells a much bigger selection of the Originals footwear line.) What's new here, besides all the clothes, is the custom order program, a concept borrowed from Nike, which can be accessed form computer screens attached to what look like luxury dentists' chairs.
We told you it was eclectic in there.
The back wall holds the sneaker selection which has been boiled down to the most extravagant colors and styles, geared to the serious Adidas collector. For the moment, those looking for your basic Stan Smiths and Sambas should probably visit the other store. Making up for their absence is the debut of a new denim line made in collaboration with Diesel. While such co-branding efforts can often fall disappointingly flat, we are happy to report that the jeans look good, with the inevitable Adidas trefoil decoration used in inventive ways. Instead of selvage borders at the seams, when the cuffs are turned up we find the brand's signature three stripes.
Adidas Originals 136 Wooster Street between Houston & Prince Streets, SoHo