Tucked away in Msheireb’s Doha Design District lies the Presentedby boutique, the latest opening from the pioneering London-based luxury sneaker and streetwear connoisseurs and part of an ambitious Middle Eastern strategy. In partnership with Msheireb Properties, the new store is focused on offering highly coveted and limited-edition sneakers and streetwear, including renowned and celebrated brands like Yeezy, Supreme and Nike, as well as some of the most iconic collaborations of the decade like Gucci x The North Face, Jordan x Dior, Supreme x Louis Vuitton, and Nike x Off-White.
“Every time we design a new store for PresentedBy, we contextualise the project in the city in which the boutique is located,” Carmelo Zappulla, Chief Creative Officer at Presentedby, tells Esquire. “Here in Doha, we came up with the idea of making a digital landscape, reminiscent of the dune formations of the Qatari desert. We generate this kind of emotional landscape through which you can discover the products. This is a new experience in which you can discover special products that are imbedded into this topography.” The immersive space combines advanced fabrication, technology, fashion, urban culture, and design and presents its exclusive collections upon an ever-changing tech landscape. In addition to the digital screens lining the walls, digital sand lines the floor. “We use an algorithm that allows the sand to react to your movement and your behaviour within the space,” Carmelo continues. “It brings together the digital and physical worlds. Through this digital dimension we have created a space that is alive and breathing.”
Visitors to the unique space will also discover ‘an experience room,’ in which a key product is highlighted through hologram technology. “It allows us to tell the story of a special product in a meaningful way,” adds Carmelo. “It’s an Instagrammable space and one in which you can become part of the installation.” Elsewhere, clients can play an old-school arcade-style claw crane game to win a pair of sneakers. The game, imbedded into a wall of highly limited edition sneakers including Pigeon Dunks, DJ Khaled’s, and a pair of Nike Air Yeezy II Red Octobers, is another way that the boutique feels less retail and more experience driven.
“This is a space that both exhibits and showcases,” PresentedBy co-founder Ridwane Ettoubi tells Esquire. “It feels part-retail store and part-museum. We’ve created another landmark that showcases the best sneakers and streetwear in the world, curated in a way that has never been seen before. The Presentedby store in Doha Design District will challenge the title for the best sneaker and streetwear store in the world.”
“For many resellers, it’s all about volume,” adds Presentedby’s co-founder Nohman Ahmed. “For us, it’s about the concept and leading the consumer by emotion. Presentedby is a refined model of the secondary and resale market, with a luxury spin to it.”
“In terms of sneaker drops, the Middle East traditionally hasn’t received the best product allocation,” adds co-founder Rizwan Ahmed. “The demand is here but no one has been able to bring the experience alongside the product availability. We wanted to make sure that we furnished the market. This isn’t a store that you go in and have product rammed down your throat. This is a place of discovery; led by emotion, not price. We have a passion for sneakers and design and that shines through.”
Doha Design District, Msheireb, Unit G12, Building #30, presentedby.com