The Women Behind adidas’ first Women’s Concept Store in Saudi Arabia 

This September marked a major milestone in adidas’ growth journey in Saudi Arabia and the wider region, with the opening of the Kingdom’s first-ever adidas Women’s Concept Store in Riyadh Park Mall.

What makes this store so special? The powerhouse team behind it - an adidas women-led team who brought their passion, creativity, and dedication to every detail of the project to design a space that is truly made for women, by women.

Using insights from consumers in the region, the team focused on creating a shopping experience that is welcoming, comfortable, and representative of how women prefer to shop. The feedback from consumers influenced each step of the design, resulting in a space featuring warm lighting, neutral tones, touches of greenery, comfortable seating, large fitting rooms, and finally – no flashing digital screens!

The store layout isn’t the only game-changer  

Beyond the aesthetic, the team focused on something even more powerful: representation. They listened to feedback from Saudi women on creating a space that’s not just about shopping but also reflective of the cultural shift - a store that embodies the true spirit of women in Saudi Arabia: modern, modest, and inspiring.  

“As an adidas employee and proud Saudi woman, working on this project was very meaningful. It was an opportunity to tell our own story and shape the narrative on what it means to be a Saudi woman. We’re multifaceted, and this store represents that. Whether you’re a football player or a fashionista, whether you prefer a modest clothing design or not, the product collection found in this store meets all those needs.” Said Nojoud Radwan, Senior Brand Director for Saudi Arabia and Women’s Concept Store Project Team member.  

Meet the Team! 

This project was led by 22 adidas women across different functions and locations, representing 11 nationalities, who all brought a diversity of thought and perspective to the project team.  

Jenin Musa, Senior Director of Market Expansion for the Emerging Markets and the project sponsor for the Women’s Concept Store shared her thoughts on the team setup:  

“The beauty of this project is that it was also an opportunity for the project team to develop outside of their usual day job. We weren’t focused on job titles or seniority or who should be leading what – it was about coming together as women to bring our own unique perspectives. So, if you work in HR but have a brilliant idea about the store’s lighting – you brought that to the table. If you were usually on the shop floor but had an opinion on brand marketing – you had an opportunity to share those thoughts. It was truly a group effort, a bonding experience and an opportunity to step outside of comfort zones to create something meaningful.” 

Aseel YahyaAhmed, Sales Academy Manager Saudi Arabia and the Women’s Concept Store Project Lead followed with:  

“I really appreciated how we balanced the diverse perspectives of the project while still ensuring that the Saudi woman’s voice was always heard. With seven of the 22 women on the project being Saudi themselves, there was always space to share our firsthand experiences to ensure we were truly capturing what we set out to do, and represent who Saudi women really are: modern, modest and inspiring.” 

Thank you to the team for sharing their story and reminding us of the power of localizing for the consumer, teamwork, and passion!