Until recently, the local front in the Nike versus adidas war has been played out on the billboards lining Wangfujing and Xidan. The two global brands are also struggling to be the providers of whatever sporting apparel athletes choose, or are instructed, to wear at the Beijing Olympics. The competition between the two brands in the Chinese market heats up with the opening of adidas' flagship store at Sanlitun's village tonight. The Beijinger's Fashion and Beauty Editor Halla Mohieddeen got a chance to take a sneak peek at the store yesterday and gives us her take below. Images by Simon Lim

adidas Brand Center
Daily 10am-10pm. Bldg 11, South Area, Sanlitun Village, 19 Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District.
朝阳区三里屯南路19号11幢

Designed to create a village within a city, the striking development in the heart of Sanlitun is slowly taking shape. The boards have come down, and we're now starting to see more of the eclectic mix of structures that will make up the shopping and entertainment district. The first store to throw open its doors is the new adidas Brand Center, adidas' global flagship store.

Boasting 3,170 sqm of floor space, this new store will be adidas’ largest worldwide. What's more, it brings together all the brand's concept lines under one roof, another first for the brand. This means that whether you want shoes, kids clothing, accessories and apparel, or lines such as Y-3 or adidas by Stella McCartney, it's now all available under one roof.

Aside from its enormity, there are other highlights that should keep the punters coming in the door. Starting off on the first floor, consumers are met with an impressive range of footwear and menswear products. It's also home to the mi coach core skills interactive area, where you can test your reflexes, speed and flexibility at the hi-tech terminals, get a printout of your progress, then get a personally tailored training plan through the website. There's also a T-shirt printing terminal where you can have your name (in English) and number printed on the back of your favorite shirt in around 20 minutes. Up on the second floor, there's a veritable bonanza of Olympic-branded adidas shirts, and more menswear options from the casual and performance lines. The kids clothing, and kids interactive area can also to be found on the second floor. Level three showcases the extensive range of products for women. The Stella McCartney collection is available here, along with more clothing and accessories for women. The rather stylish Y-3 boutique is also located on the third floor, with some superb gold boots on display. Moving up to the fourth floor you'll find the Originals street wear collection, which is inspired by adidas' sporting heritage. Missy Elliot's "respect me" range will appeal to hip hop girlz, while the Originals Denim by Diesel jeans (from RMB 2,000) will appeal to just about anyone. You're also able to design your own custom sneakers here, should none of the shoes downstairs take your fancy. There's a juice bar tucked in the corner if you wish to recharge your batteries after an exhaustive shopping spree.

Last, but certainly not least, there is a half-court basketball court located up on the rooftop, which not only affords the opportunity to show off your skills, but also features a stunning view of the Village development itself.

There are many firsts here: first store in the Village to open, first time all adidas concept brands are united under one roof, and the first time the mi coach interactive terminals have been released. To be one of the first to get your hands on some adidas gear, get along to the store at midnight tonight, as this is when the store opens to the public.

The opening of this huge adidas flagship store has followed hot on the heels of the opening of the Solana Mall on Lucky Street (a good 10 minute walk north of the west gate of Chaoyang Park) which features not only a great selection of restaurants (1001 Nights, Feiteng Yuxiang and Tödai) but also Beijing's third Zara store and the Tsing Tao Beer Palace! For news on upcoming openings, keep an eye on the Beijinger blog. Coming soon, the Apple store (also in the Village) and the wavy Intime Lotte department store over at Wangfujing.

Links and Sources
adidas Official Site
Beijing2008.cn: adidas announced Official Partner of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
The Wall Street Journal: Adidas Bets Big on Beijing
The Wall Street Journal: Adidas Ad Campaign Invokes Chinese Nationalism
Forbes: The Olympics: It's All About The Shoes
Forbes: In Pictures: Team Nike Vs. Team Adidas
Ifoapplestore.com: First China Store Location Revealed
the Beijinger: Sanlitun Soho
urbane: Drinking Up: The New Shape of Sanlitun
The Village at Sanlitun
China Sports Today: A Walk Down Wangfujing