Three's company

It was the kind of news that had us cartwheeling down the street. Wakalat Street, to be precise. After months of promoting Adidas Originals on these pages – retro sneakers, their Diesel collaboration and the Originals by Originals line, just in case they want to express any gratitude – a full-fledged store opens up in the heart of Amman. As Zeina Hallak, Adidas Levant’s GM, said, “Originals represents the perfect fusion of sport authenticity and street style.” We don’t do brand worship, but these Germans really do it for us.

In May, Amman’s Sweifieh joined New York’s Mulberry Street in Soho, Münzstrasse in Berlin and London’s Convent Garden as home to an Originals store, and its concrete and steel interior was full of throwback football shirts, 70s trainers and pretty much any item of material wide enough to carry three stripes. In amongst it all was at least one member of the NOX team salivating over a Tokyo 1960 track shoe. The thin one with the red trim. Not bad, huh?
It is actually something of a coup for Amman to get a store this year; 2009 is, as we’ve told you at least twice already, is the 60th anniversary of the now iconic three stripes logo.

Star alliance
Two people we’ve vaguely heard of launch Amman’s Originals store last month
In amongst the revellers at the launch were, to everyone’s obvious excitement, local reality TV contestant Bashar Ghazawi and his Algerian fellow Star Academy roommate Salma Ghazali – to whom he is apparently now married. You can sense our slight indifference, right? Also there was Hani Mitwasi. The singer. Anyone? No...?