Avolta and Zayed International Airport’s Presentedby retail concept snares major design award

“Together with Presentedby, we’ve redefined what airport retail can be, not just functional, but iconic,” says Avolta Chief Commercial and Digital Officer Vijay Talwar.

May 24, 2025 - 15:20

Avolta and Zayed International Airport’s Presentedby retail concept snares major design award

“We are proud to bring travellers an experience that truly resonates with culture, style and purpose,” says Avolta Chief Commercial and Digital Officer Vijay Talwar of the award-winning Presentedby concept {All photos: Avolta}

UAE. Presentedby, Avolta’s new retail concept at Zayed International Airport, Abu Dhabi, has won the Platinum Award in the Interior Design – Retails, Shops, Department Stores & Mall category at the 2025 London Design Awards.

The accolade is the highest recognition bestowed by the prestigious international competition.

Avolta brought the winning concept to life in partnership this February with External Reference, a renowned architecture studio known for creating immersive, futuristic spaces that fuse technology, storytelling and cultural relevance.

The award celebrates the groundbreaking work behind a unique experiential retail destination that blends premium fashion, streetwear culture and travel retail.

Avolta said Presentedby sets a new standard for design excellence and innovation within the airport environment.

The winning concept at the Abu Dhabi gateway – recently voted World’s Most Beautiful Airport at the Prix Versailles, World Architecture and Design Award – merges luxury with street culture in a design-forward space that invites travellers to connect with the latest trends while on the move.

From bespoke interiors to immersive digital elements, the store creates a destination within a destination, fusing high energy, high design, and high engagement with a sustainability drumbeat.

**What the judges said of Avolta’s Presentedby boutique {click to expand}**

“This award is a powerful reflection of what we stand for,” said Avolta Chief Commercial and Digital Officer Vijay Talwar. “Together with Presentedby, we’ve redefined what airport retail can be – not just functional, but iconic.

“The Platinum Award from the London Design Awards honours our bold vision and the exceptional creativity of our teams. We are proud to bring travellers an experience that truly resonates with culture, style and purpose.”

Presentedby is tapping into a worldwide boom in streetwear and sneaker culture, opening a series of downtown boutiques in Doha, Dubai, London, Mexico City, Paris and Riyadh as well as the Zayed International Airport store {Photos: Presentedby}

External Reference Founder and CEO Carmelo Zappulla added: “With Presentedby Abu Dhabi, we transformed a travel retail environment into a profound sensory experience: water, as a universal metaphor of life and movement, guides an immersive spatial narrative where aesthetics and sustainability converge to redefine the future of retail.”

Presentedby Co-Founder & Director Nohman Ahmed concluded: “It has been an absolute pleasure collaborating with Avolta to bring our award-winning Presentedby concept to the travel sector for the first time.

“This award is a testament to our joint efforts in creating a space that blends discovery and interaction within a luxurious, design-driven setting – proving that even conventional spaces can be transformed into exciting, engaging environments.”

Flashback to February as stakeholders including Abu Dhabi Airports Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Elena Sorlini (centre, holding scissors), Avolta President & CEO EMEA Luis Marin (sixth from right), Avolta CEO Xavier Rossinyol (fourth from right) and Avolta General Manager F&B Middle East and Africa Marco Cuglianich (second from right) perform the traditional opening ceremony at Presentedby

The Platinum Award is given to entries that score between 85 and 100 points, marking them as exemplary in design execution, originality, and impact. Judged by a global panel of experts, the London Design Awards celebrate the world’s most visionary projects across architecture, interior, product, and experiential design.

Talking to a new generation (this article was first published last November)

When Presentedby opened its first store in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in September 2022, fashion and lifestyle title GQ noted approvingly how the design drew inspiration from the Kingdom’s desert oasis, using water as a theme throughout its parametric sculptures and virtual digital simulations, writes Martin Moodie.

Describing the store as “immersive and tech-savvy”, GQ noted: “Streetwear and sneaker culture is booming in the Middle East in recent years, and there’s no better place to cop some legit hyped goods than at Presentedby.”

In airport retail, however, streetwear and sneaker culture has barely got a look in until now. Avolta is seeking to change the perception of airport stores always offering the tried and trusted, figuring that neither necessarily applies to younger generations.

Interestingly too, the retailer is offering the Presentedby collections in tandem with Avolta’s certified range of pre-owned luxury accessories, bags and watches.

Pre-loved and sneaker culture. Two terms you haven’t heard much of in airport retail. Chances are that will all change in the future as Avolta and its global peers step up their efforts to appeal to new generations of travellers.