The 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE) was held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai on November 5–10.
In the Consumer Goods Exhibition Area, a number of international sports brands made a high-profile appearance, including Nike (US), lululemon (Canada), adidas (Germany), SKECHERS (US), Puma (Germany), and Asics (Japan).
Luxe.CO visited the event in person and found that beyond showcasing their signature products, these sports brands also presented innovative items powered by cutting-edge technology, displayed them in unique ways, and invited visitors to participate in immersive experiences to explore the functionality of their products and the athletic spirit that drives their brands.
Nike: Moments of Victory + New Tech Debuts + ICON.Shanghai
This marks Nike’s sixth consecutive appearance at the CIIE. This year, the brand themed its presence around “Victory,” celebrating the glorious moments of Chinese athletes and offering an in-depth interpretation of the “Just Do It” spirit.
The pavilion showcased leading technologies and innovative products from Nike’s three key brands — Nike, Jordan, and Converse — across running, basketball, and other sports.
Nike highlighted its latest breakthrough in sports cognitive science with the Nike Mind shoe series: Nike Mind 001 and Nike Mind 002. According to Nike Sport Research Lab, these shoes can help athletes enhance focus and more rapidly enter a state of optimal mental readiness, also known as flow.
The brand also unveiled the world’s first outdoor jacket featuring A.I.R. technology—Nike Air Milano—and introduced two products to the China market for the first time: the racing gear made for women’s mile world record holder Faith Kipyegon, and the ultra-light Nike ACG Lava Loft down jacket, weighing just 10 ounces (approx. 283 grams).
Above: Nike racing gear
The Jordan brand showcased its new Air Jordan 40 basketball shoe, featuring a first-ever combination of full-length ZoomX foam and Zoom Strobel cushioning. Meanwhile, Converse presented a new colorway, “Ares Gray” of the SHAI 001, the first signature basketball shoe co-created with NBA player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, marking its debut in China.
Above: Air Jordan 40 basketball shoe
At the expo, Nike officially announced the launch of “ICON.Shanghai”, its Greater China Creative Content Studio, powered by one of the world’s most advanced content engines. It is Nike’s first creative studio outside the US, highlighting its commitment to the Chinese market and its ambition to co-create the future of sport in China.
lululemon: Star Products on Display + Immersive Experience + “Wellbeing Insights”
This is lululemon’s second appearance at the CIIE, and the brand created a colorful, whimsical two-level space themed “Wellbeing Playground” to transform its booth into a lively “amusement park.”
At the booth, lululemon showcased its signature items across six major categories: yoga, running, training, tennis, golf, and daily wear. Highlights included the Align™ tights, a favorite among yoga practitioners; the Fast and Free™ series made with Nulux™ fabric for runners; Metal Vent Tech and Textured Mesh tanks; tennis skirts; ShowZero™ casual tops; and Wunder Puff™ down jackets.
This year also marks the 10th anniversary of lululemon’s iconic Align™ tights. The booth featured a replica of the workspace of Antonia Iamartino, lululemon’s Senior Director of Design, R&D, and Product Innovation, tracing the journey of the Align™ series from concept to product launch. This area displayed iconic pieces developed over the past decade, including sports bras, tanks, bodysuits, dresses, long tights, shorts, and wide-leg pants, and told the story of how Align™ transitioned from yoga-specific wear to a daily wardrobe staple.
lululemon also created a dedicated “Wellbeing Insights” zone, showcasing the “2025 China Wellbeing Report”, co-published with the Center for Positive Psychology Research in the Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science at Tsinghua University. On the second level, the brand launched a “Good Vibes Dialogue” podcast zone, where stories from guests across various fields were shared.
From above, the lululemon booth resembled a four-leaf clover, symbolizing boundless possibilities for a brighter future. On November 8, lululemon once again brought a yoga session to the CIIE venue. Outside Gate 17 of Hall 6.2, echoing the booth’s “Wellbeing Playground” theme, the brand created a vibrant workout space. Three lululemon ambassadors led more than 100 participants in a clover-shaped stretch, inviting everyone to experience the synergy of mind and body.
adidas: FIFA World Cup Product Debuts + Latest Racing Innovations + Localized Collaborations
At its fourth appearance at the CIIE, adidas unveiled a pavilion themed “Power of Three”.
As an official sponsor of 15 consecutive FIFA World Cups, adidas set up a dedicated FIFA World Cup area, where it presented, for the first time in China, the 2026 FIFA World Cup home kits for Germany, Argentina, Spain, and Italy, along with the official match ball, “TRIONDA”.
Above: 2026 FIFA World Cup Home Kits
Above: 2026 FIFA World Cup Official Match Ball – “TRIONDA”
The brand also highlighted running innovations with a specially designed “sensorial” tech innovation zone, where it debuted its latest racing product at CIIE: the ADIZERO PRIME X EVO, featuring an ultra-thick midsole and biomechanical support structure.
In the cultural co-creation area, adidas showcased gear designed by its Shanghai Creation Center for the China Women’s National Volleyball Team, the Chinese National Wushu Team, track and field star Shi Yuhao, the Shanghai Women’s International Football Club, and the China Youth Football League. Also on display were collaborative series such as the “Tsinghua Co-Creation” project with the Academy of Arts & Design at Tsinghua University, and competition uniforms for the Wushu team, alongside a wide range of products infused with Chinese characteristics. Visitors could also enjoy customization services on-site.
SKECHERS: Full-Range Product Matrix + Public Welfare Highlights + On-Site “Shoe Rental”
SKECHERS, the comfort-tech brand, participated in the CIIE for the seventh year in a row, presenting a powerful “comfort technology matrix” including the Go Walk series with Slip-ins, Go Run, GO Trail, and the SKECH-HEAT thermal technology line.
In addition, SKECHERS unveiled a dense range of new releases: new colorways of the SKX AERO RAZOR and SKX AERO BURST running shoes, the SKX_2 ELITE FG football boot, the SKX JE 1 and SKX FULL-COURT PRESS basketball shoes, and the SKECHERS PURE SI golf shoe. Several of these new products made their debut in China, including the COZY FIT cushioned shoe and outdoor jackets and down coats featuring GOTHERM 360 thermal insulation technology.
A dedicated public welfare zone showcased the results of SKECHERS’ initiatives, including its “Old-for-New” recycling project and the “SKECHERS FRIENDSHIP WALK” charity walking program. Visitors could also take advantage of a unique “shoe rental” service to personally experience the brand’s comfort technology on-site.
Puma: NITRO Tech Performance Releases + Iconic Sneakers + China-Exclusive Collections
Puma returned to the CIIE for the third year. At the opening ceremony, Li Min, Managing Director of Puma China, stated, “As one of Puma’s most important strategic markets, we remain firmly committed to our localization strategy of ‘In China, for China, to accelerate Chinese sports,’ and will continue to win over Chinese consumers with innovative products and services.”
This year, Puma presented a series of performance products centered around its proprietary NITRO foam technology: the FAST-RB NITRO™ Elite “Rule Breaker,” featuring a tri-layer PWRPLATE carbon and propulsion plate; the ALL-PRO NITRO™ ELITE basketball shoe with an independent cushioning midsole system; and the latest generation of FORMULA PACK boots, including the ULTRA 5 ULTIMATE and ULTRA 5 CARBON editions.
The brand also spotlighted the comeback of its iconic sneakers, such as the Speedcat and Mostro. Its Black Label line also debuted the HAUS OF CLASSICS series, developed specifically for the Chinese market with localized fits and materials designed to offer both comfort and style.
Asics: Track-Themed Booth + New Colorways + Innovation Across Categories
This year marks Asics’ sixth appearance at the CIIE. The brand built a track-inspired booth to comprehensively showcase its latest achievements in professional running, sports technology, sustainability, and lifestyle design.
In footwear, Asics introduced new colorways for its annual flagship rebound series. This included two new models released in September —MEGABLAST and SONICBLAST —along with existing models SUPERBLAST 2 and NOVABLAST 5, covering a range of athletic scenarios, including cross-training, daily wear, and competitive running. High-performance carbon-plated racing models METASPEED RAY and METASPEED TOKYO also appeared in updated colorways.
The brand also featured its innovations in fashion design, sustainability, and apparel. Highlights included the WINJOB safety shoe series designed for high-risk work environments, the street-style GEL-KINETIC FLUENT, and the eco-friendly NIMBUS MIRAI running shoe. On the apparel front, the booth presented a variety of functional garments and fabric technologies for road running, outdoor activities, and other sports.
In addition, a DIY workshop was set up on-site, allowing visitors to hand-make personalized souvenirs.
| Image Credit: Luxe.CO on-site photography, official brand materials
| Editor: Maier
