David Beckham jetted to Dubai on Tuesday for the opening of a new flagship Adidas store in Dubai's Mall of Emirates shopping centre - to the delight of thousands of fans.
Beckham personally welcomed the lucky locals to the all-new 'HomeCourt' store before signing autographs and posing for photographs.
The next generation store concept was developed in line with adidas' love of sport and celebrates the brand's proud and authentic sports heritage to give consumers its best in-store experience yet. It is the first of its kind to be launched in Dubai.
It offers an entirely new and interactive experience by bringing the spirit of sport to the 375 square metre store and creates a place where fans can feel the energy of the game and the thrill of the event from the moment they step inside.
After the opening Beckham said: "I always love coming to Dubai - it's a special place that's constantly evolving, just like adidas and their stores.
"Spending some time here today, it was great to get a sense of the energy people have for sport.
"In Dubai I've met people from all around the world who are united in their passion for sport."
Rayyan Lodhi, 13, was one of the lucky competition winners. After meeting Beckham, he said: "Beckham is my idol, it was amazing to meet him."
Jason Thomas, the managing director of adidas in the Middle East and northern Africa commented: "The adidas HomeCourt store concept is all about celebrating a love of sport and there could be no better person to represent that than David Beckham."
"He is one our most celebrated icons and a face of the brand who is adored worldwide, especially in the region. The response to our Instagram competition and the reaction of fans today is an incredible showing of his universal appeal," Thomas continued.
"The store at Mall of the Emirates is a new home for sport fans. It's a unique place that takes the consumer experience to an entirely new level by featuring sport and passion in every single element.
A key feature of the new adidas HomeCourt concept is the Arena Façade, which has created a bold, distinctive new look for adidas. Like an entrance gate, the Tunnel Entry draws consumers into the big game and welcomes every visitor with a 'sound shower' of cheering fans.
The innovative new store also features a Team Room, a large fitting area and social space that allows shoppers to try on products whilst being able to interact with the brand. Premiering in the adidas HomeCourt store is the Shoebase at Centrefield, the heart of the store.
