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

adidas Teams Up With Japan’s Kolor for Spring 2016 Collection

adidas Originals is teaming up with Japanese fashion label Kolor for a Spring 2016 Collection set to release worldwide tomorrow, April 1st. The collaboration brings...

By Patrick Johnson March 31, 2016
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The adidas Boost Running “Multi-Color Primeknit” Pack Is Incredible

Boost x Primeknit x Multi-Color. It’s a match made in running/lifestyle crossover heaven which is why we’re particular excited about the upcoming adidas “Multi-Color Primeknit”...

By Patrick Johnson March 31, 2016
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A Detailed Look At The adidas ClimaCool

The adidas ClimaCool 1 should fit right into adidas’ current release slate given its breathable mesh upper, completely original aesthetic, and a unique side panel...

By Patrick Johnson March 30, 2016
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adidas Originals Re-Introduces the CLIMACOOL, An Early-2000’s Classic

Bringing back a newer-than-usual model from the archives, adidas Originals is set to re-introduce the CLIMACOOL 1 this spring. The light and ultra breathable running...

By Zack Schlemmer March 28, 2016
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First Look At High Snobiety’s adidas Ultra Boost Collaboration

The adidas Ultra Boost is a force to be reckoned with. The three stripe’s affection for Primeknit x Boost models has only gotten better and...

By Patrick Johnson March 21, 2016
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