adidas

adidas, also known as The Three Stripes Brand, is a German sportswear company founded in 1949 by Adolf “Adi” Dassler. With roots in track and football, it has become a global player within the sneaker industry over the past 70 years.

With influence spanning football, basketball, tennis, skateboarding, fencing, and other sports, the company’s first performance-related breakthrough occurred in 1936 within the running space. Jesse Owens famously wore Dassler’s revolutionary canvas and rubber spiked running shoe in the Summer Olympics held in Germany that year. And while Owens’ record-breaking performance at the global competition brought adidas attention, the brand hadn’t yet found its identity; the spikes didn’t feature the brand’s now-signature 3-Stripes logo. (adidas acquired this branding from Finland’s Karhu in 1952.)

The German company achieved similar attention in subsequent decades within both the basketball and tennis spaces thanks to the Superstar (1969) and Stan Smith (1973), respectively. Other made-for-sports models like the adidas Top Ten (1979) and adidas Forum (1984) similarly became lifestyle staples in New York, Boston, Chicago, and other cities. adidas’ Superstar became the unofficial shoe of hip-hop in the 1980s largely due to RUN DMC’s superstardom. (The shell-toe was the best-selling sneaker in North America in 2016.) While less popular stateside, running silhouettes like the SL 72 (1972) and ZX 500 (1984) boast devoted fans of trainers across Europe and Asia. These silhouettes have experienced resurgences throughout the decades, and are now offered under the adidas Originals banner.

Recent years have seen 3-Stripes-branded sneakers soar in popularity, in large part because of the Kanye West led Yeezy sub-label and UltraBOOST, as well as BOOST and adidas 4D cushioning. The German company has also pioneered high-fashion collaborations, hosting Yohji Yamamoto’s Y-3 imprint since 2003. In 2020, classic silhouettes were reimagined by Prada and Craig Green. Elsewhere, partnerships with Beyoncé’s IVY PARK, Tyler “Ninja” Blevins, Jonah Hill, Pharrell and others ensured adidas remained the global behemoth it has been for decades.

Throughout 2024, the Three Stripes will surely continue its run as a proponent of the mix between sportswear and fashion. On this end, the brand signed FEAR OF GOD‘s Jerry Lorenzo to drive the creative and business strategy of its basketball category, culminating in the release of the Fear of God Athletics adidas Basketball 1, a shoe set for plenty of releases as the year draws on. It’s also been a banner year for adidas Basketball in terms of their signature athletes, with the German giant releasing Anthony Edwards’ AE1 & James Harden Vol. 8, while continuing a push for the Trae Young 3 and D.O.N. Issue #5.

Scroll below for the latest release dates and information on what adidas has in store for this year.

adidas

Just Us: Kith Announces Loyalty Program With Exclusive Sneaker Collaborations

If you’ve been committed to the Kith brand, your loyalty has paid off. The New York-born clothing brand and retailer has launched Kith Loyalty, a...

By Sneaker News January 25, 2024
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Anthony Edwards And His adidas AE1 Are Built Different

Anthony Edwards can’t stay out of the basketball headlines. Whether it be for his nightly All-Star level stat-lines or his fearless barking at established stars...

By Sneaker News January 24, 2024
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The Elevated adidas Gazelle Indoor Arrives In “College Green” Accents

Adidas is looking to replicate the massive success of the Samba with another shoe in their deep and historic catalog. And while the Gazelle saw...

By Sneaker News January 20, 2024
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The adidas AE1 “Arctic Fusion” Officially Restocks On February 21st

UPDATED February 6th, 2024: The adidas AE1 “Arctic Fusion” just restocked on adidas.com, available for $120 via the links below. Anthony Edwards stays winning. Currently...

By Andrew Rizzo January 18, 2024
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Brain Dead And adidas Collaborate On Bowling Shoes As New Partnership Begins

Paris Fashion Week always brings out the most audacious side of designers and fashion-lovers alike, and this year’s event is no different. Having already collaborated...

By Andrew Rizzo January 17, 2024
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adidas Originals Is Ready To Take On The 2000s Runner Trend With Three Models

Building on the resurgence of 2000s-era runners in recent years, adidas Originals dives into its archives to present the “2000 Running” collection. The delivery consists...

By Andrew Rizzo January 17, 2024
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Jalen Green And adidas Debut The adiZero Select 2.0 Basketball Shoe

For the adiZero Select, adidas Basketball focused on to primary benefits — lightweight and responsive. For the 2.0, they further hone in on those properties...

By Sneaker News January 17, 2024
9523

Take A Ride In The adidas Forum Mid “Carnival.”

The adidas Forum has dressed in countless makeups since its 1984 debut, having been worn by Michael Jordan in his college days, re-imagined by Jeremy...

By Andrew Rizzo January 16, 2024
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The adidas Samba Gets A Materials Upgrade In Latest Delivery

The adidas Samba is so much more than a soccer shoe nowadays. Hot off the heels of a massive 2023 that saw highly-acclaimed collabs with...

By Andrew Rizzo January 16, 2024
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