Earlier this month, US sportswear brand New Balance unveiled a limited-edition UAE-only version of its 1080v15 trainer.
The release is part of New Balance's In It For The Long Run initiative, which celebrates multicultural communities as well as supporting runners of all fitness levels.
Staying with the distinctive 1080v15 silhouette, which was launched at the start of the year, the shoe combines a mesh upper with a thick sole. The new arrival has a black tongue and a black outline of the “N” logo on the side, plus pops of red and green flanking the heel, and lace tips finished in red and green, echoing the UAE national flag.
Stuart Henwood, senior director at New Balance, Middle East, Africa and India, said the company wanted to demonstrate its connection to and support for the UAE. “At a time when communities are showing up, supporting one another and continuing to move forward in their own way, we wanted to recognise that spirit,” Henwood said.
“This UAE-exclusive reflects that mindset and a way to celebrate the communities here that keep moving, keep participating and keep finding their own rhythm. For us, that is what ‘In It For The Long Run’ means in the UAE.”
The trainer is priced at Dh899 and joins a growing list of releases inspired by the UAE and the wider region.
Nike x Frame
In 2020, Nike released the SB Dunk Low “Habibi” created in collaboration with Dubai skate retailer Frame.
Like the New Balance shoe, the Habibi palette is inspired by the country's flag, with a white ground, red overlays and stacked double Swooshes in green and black.
Other arabesque touches appear in the word Habibi printed on the inside of the tongue, while the sock liner is covered in a subtle tile print. The laces are printed with the red-and-white patterning of a ghutra and are frayed at the edges.
Originally priced at Dh405, the shoe regularly sells for well above that on resale platforms.
Adidas x Dream Girl Tailors
The German sportswear company has released two shoes dedicated to the country.
In April 2025, it partnered with Dream Girl Tailors in Al Fahidi for a limited-edition edit of its Samba OG and Handball Spezial shoes.
Conceived as part of a wider series, the Loomhood Collection celebrates traditional handwork in the UAE, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The UAE versions feature design elements inspired by Talli weaving, a traditional craft in which metallic threads are woven with cotton or silk.
Co-created with Dream Girl Tailors, itself something of a Dubai institution, the collection draws on the shimmering metallic patterns associated with the Emirati craft. The shoes also comes with GPS co-ordinates stamped on to the outside heel, and the name of the Al Fahidi district stamped next to the Trefoil logo.
Priced at Dh499, the collection sold out fast and is now primarily available through resale platforms.
Adidas x Ravi Restaurant
Launched in 2022, the Adidas x Ravi trainers pay homage to Ravi, the beloved Pakistani restaurant that opened in Dubai's Satwa district in 1978.
The redesigned Adidas Superstar shoe reflects the colours of Pakistan's flag, with green accents on a cream background.
The name and opening year of the restaurant are written in Arabic on one shoe and in English on the other, while the tongue is decorated with six of Ravi's best-selling dishes, also in Arabic and English.
The insole has a hand-drawn map of the Ravi River in northern Pakistan, while the original shoebox was made to look like a Ravi takeaway container.
Priced at Dh549, stock sold out within hours, with pairs later appearing on resale platforms at significantly higher asking prices.
