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Adidas pays homage to Dubai’s Ravi Restaurant

Ravi Adidas Superstar, Dubai

Dubai – The sportswear giant has unveiled a special-edition sneaker that honours popular Dubai restaurant Ravi Restaurant. Available exclusively in the UAE, the sneaker arrives as part of a collaborative effort with Chaudary Abdul Hameed, founder of the Pakistani eatery, along with his three sons. Features include Ravi’s iconic shade of green, along with the restaurant’s menu printed on the tongue of the shoe.

Through this project, the restaurant is set to achieve international recognition, while Adidas will gain popularity in the UAE region. ‘Recently I’ve started to encourage them to take on a more hands-on role in the business. I’m trying to inspire them to take the brand forward internationally,’ explains Chaudary in relation to his sons. ‘I tell them that we’ve secured such a good partnership, and they should leverage this to help us grow to new heights.’

Here, the two companies demonstrate the ongoing evolution of Food’s Fashion Strategy, this time applying it at a hyper-local level.

Strategic opportunity

Brands and retailers should lean in to opportunities to work with local businesses and individual creatives, ensuring that collaborations truly reflect particular areas or communities

A park in Bangkok that helps purify waste water

Benjakitti Forest Park, Bangkok

Bangkok – A new park in the heart of Bangkok is bringing much-needed green space to the Thai capital. With an abundance of trees, wildlife and elevated walkways, the Benjakitti Forest Park has become a popular spot for social media snaps. But it also fulfils a more practical purpose by helping purify waste water from neighbouring communities.

The redevelopment of the location, which originally housed the factories of tobacco manufacturer Thailand Tobacco Monopoly, is being unveiled after years of developments. Water is one of the central features of the park, with a network of ponds and islands helping to create the ideal conditions for marine wildlife to thrive, as well as a natural way to filter waste. To create shade and ventilation, 7,000 trees were added to the site’s original tally of 1,700. As they mature, their leaves will expand and thicken, making the shelter denser.

Using the ability of local eco-systems to help naturally cleanse the environment, the park is tapping into Interspecies Architecture to build healthier communities and city centres.

Strategic opportunity

Where possible, how can companies use natural materials and foliage to help purify air or improve interior environments?

Kayak and Rent the Runway are hacking wedding costs

US – Travel agent Kayak is catering for the wedding sector, with the launch of an online guide featuring tools and tips to help people make the most of their travel budgets. It also comes in partnership with clothing rental service Rent the Runway, which is offering discounts to first-time users, as well as style inspiration.

Targeting both couples and guests, the Travel Hacker Guide: Wedding Edition arrives at a time when many are looking forward to returning to in-person wedding celebrations, but are also feeling the impact of the cost of living crisis. ‘Travel Hacker Guide: Wedding Edition was designed to help guests confidently plan wedding-related travel and get the best deal, highlighting Kayak tools like Price Predictor, Fare Freeze and Price Alerts,’ says Matt Clarke, vice-president of North America marketing at Kayak.

Through this initiative, both companies are recognising the need to offer price-conscious services in line with rising inflation. Meanwhile, Rent the Runway’s partnership here aligns with the growing Second-life Bridal Market, with brands increasingly catering for brides’ eco-conscious mindsets.

Travel Hacker Guide: Wedding Edition by Kayak

Strategic opportunity

Looking ahead, more platforms will benefit from offering such curated services that consider people’s fluctuating needs and budgets

Stat: Age-related insecurities affect American men

Photography by Cottonbro

Although it’s rarely discussed, most men struggle with insecurities about their physical appearance. According to a survey by market research company OnePoll and beauty giant L’Oréal Paris, 56% of American men feel insecure about their looks sometimes.

The survey asked 2,000 American men from different generations how they handle the physical changes that come with ageing. It found that while 49% of men have grey hair, 44% of them feel insecure about it. Some 70% of men with grey hair fear that it makes them appear older, while 42% of them worry that grey hair might change how others perceive them, namely that they might be considered less attractive.

Although some men start to go grey as early as their 20s, this study reveals that men suffer from age-related insecurities too. While the expectation for women to appear youthful and wrinkle-free is often discussed, the research suggests that men also feel similar pressures. In future, age-related insecurities might be something that brands from the Middle Man Beauty Market could take into account.

Strategic opportunity

How can the fashion industry challenge the notions of male beauty through casting? Companies should consider using men of all ages in future campaigns