Champion has relaunched its Chengdu flagship at Yingjia Plaza, fusing its iconic sporty heritage with local craftsmanship through bamboo weaving, a two-storey design, and hands-on DIY experiences. This marks a strategic move to localize its retail identity in China.
Champion has unveiled a redesigned two-level flagship store in Chengdu’s Yingjia Plaza that blends its athletic legacy – especially its signature Reverse Weave sweatshirts – with local bamboo-weaving craftsmanship.
What’s new
The first floor features bamboo-inspired textures, integrating woven craftsmanship into the space while retaining Champion’s collegiate motifs. On the second floor, a dramatic two-storey sweatshirt wall anchors a DIY area where customers can try their hand at making bamboo-woven coasters.
Champion weaves local Chengdu craft into sportswear retail experience
Champion’s move signals a shift in how global sportswear brands approach retail in China: by embedding themselves in local culture rather than just translating global designs overseas. According to the report, this Chengdu store may serve as a blueprint for future localized redesigns.
Strategic context
Since Authentic Brands Group acquired Champion from HanesBrands, the brand has doubled down on experiential retail and cultural connection in key growth markets. In China – where consumer sophistication is rising – embedding traditional craft into a modern sportswear brand helps Champion stand out from fast-fashion competitors and other global athleisure players.
Local relevance drives retail strategy
Chengdu is becoming a hotspot for culturally rich retail: the city’s Taikoo Li district, where the new store is located, is known for blending historical architecture with modern consumer demand. For sports and lifestyle brands, this underlines a trend: Chinese consumers increasingly value authenticity and local relevance, beyond just performance or fashion.
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