Presentedby makes its airport debut with Avolta in Abu Dhabi.
Global travel retailer Avolta, this week, opened its first 24-hour store at Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi in partnership with sneaker retailer Presentedby. The airport saw a major upgrade via the addition of a new terminal in November 2023.
The new Presentedby store is operated by Avolta in the new Terminal A and has a futuristic appearance. Inside, the product selection is concentrated on fashion items; from collectible sneakers and apparel to accessories like watches and handbags.
Presentedby first launched in London in 2017 as a sneaker- and streetwear-inspired retailer selling the most sought-after and rare sneakers with price tags up to $125,000. At the time, the store design and experience was considered novel, and two years later the concept landed at LVMH-owned store Le Bon Marché in Paris. The boutique offered brands like Yeezy, Supreme, and Off-White.
The decision to debut a 24-hour store in a Middle Eastern airport is, most likely, a pragmatic one for Avolta. Following Presentedby’s arrival in Paris in 2019, the sneaker retailer’s next three openings were all in the Middle East—first in the Dubai Mall with Level Shoes in 2020, then in Doha’s Design District in 2021, and in 2022 in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
The retail concept at Zayed International Airport takes several design cues from the Riyadh unit. Spanning 2,260 square feet, the airport store is said to offer “a multi-sensory, immersive retail journey.” It’s blue tones and sand-like ridge motifs (rising vertically rather than horizontally) are said to have been designed as a tribute to Abu Dhabi’s desert oases. Flowing sculptures and virtual digital simulations such as cascading water are also part of the eye-catching mix as first seen in Riyadh.
A game-changer for Avolta?
Is this a good example of digital meeting physical retail in airports? Time will tell. Certainly, Avolta is upping its commitment to experiential retail with the Presentedby offering in the hope of making travel shopping a bit more exciting. The retailer has also been mindful about sustainability by using 3D-printed materials and technology that, it says, reduces the store’s carbon footprint.
Vijay Talwar, chief commercial and digital officer at Avolta, described Presentedby as a game-changer in travel retail. He commented: “This collaboration brings an unparalleled fusion of luxury, innovation, and sustainability to Zayed International. The store embodies our vision to make the travel experience more engaging.”
In a statement, Elena Sorlini, CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports, the operator of Zayed International, added: “Passengers expect exciting and engaging experiences that reflect their evolving preferences and Zayed International Airport embraces these needs. Presentedby is an innovative concept that blends luxury brands, interactive tech, and sustainable design.”
Avolta has an existing retail footprint at the gateway with 13 food and beverage (F&B) units. Zayed International handled almost 29 million passengers last year virtually all of the 29.4 million passengers processed by Abu Dhabi Airports through its five gateways.
Avolta said the airport—which serves more than 125 destinations, with 29 new routes launched in 2024—represented “an exceptional opportunity to introduce an innovative retail concept to a diverse and growing traveler base.” Presentedby still has to prove itself, but with a high-spending passenger profile at the airport it might possibly be a good fit.
