Andrew Rizzo Otto’s on the loose. Phil Lipschutz’s Unheardof continues to cement its status as one of the Midwest’s best and most exciting retailers through its adidas collaborations, recently taking over NYC for fashion week with an Adistar Control 5 inspired by Phil’s beloved 12-year-old dog.
The project of course follows Unheardof’s “Piggy Runner” collaborations, first on the Adistar Cushion 3 and then with a sprawling Control 5 pack. The “Doggy Runner” realizes a dream plenty of sneaker-loving dog owners have had at some point: designing a shoe after man’s best friend. The purpose is a special one, too. Rather than feed into the often problematic puppy mill industry, the release encourages anyone considering a dog to adopt.
Otto’s likeness comes through via a black pony hair foundation with contrasting white stripes. As is true for many Unheardof collabs, the real beauty is in the details, each one carrying its own storytelling chops. The tongue arrives in pink so as to mimic a dog tongue, complete with a stitched illustration of Otto’s face on the left side. Each pair also comes equipped with a squeaker within the top of the tongue, turning a limited collaboration into a chew toy if you’re not careful with your sneaker storage.
Paw print graphics appear on the toe and right heel, while the insoles feature elaborate artwork of Otto alongside some of his favorite toys. Stitched green “Doggy Runner” text splits the heels above 3M detailing, and the inner tongues read “Ok Sit” and “Ok, Give Me Paw.” Underfoot, Unheardof’s patented multicolor outsole gets a splash of yellow for… well, you know.
The Unheardof x adidas Adistar Control 5 “Doggy Runner” releases Holiday 2026 exclusively via Unheardof in limited quantities, with adult and kids sizes (the latter dubbed “Puppy Runner”) on offer. We’ll circle back with an update as soon as we’ve got more info to report.
