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

Anthony Edwards Gives The Kansas Jayhawks An adidas AE1 Low PE

With March Madness looming closer by the day, the Kansas Jayhawks just got a special delivery from the face of adidas Basketball. Anthony Edwards and...

By Andrew Rizzo 4 mins
0

The adidas Sambae “Valentine’s Day” Is Only For Bae

Valentine’s Day is less than a month away, meaning if you’ve yet to secure dinner reservations, you might want to get on that sooner rather...

By Andrew Rizzo 5 hours
10283

Ronnie Fieg Teases The Next 8th St Samba By KITH And Clarks

Ronnie Fieg’s collaborative 8th Street line between KITH, Clarks, and adidas is progressing with another crepe-soled adidas Samba in 2025. While preceding 8th Street Sambas...

By Andrew Rizzo 23 hours
1710

adidas Is Releasing A $250 Beaded Superstar

While the Samba isn’t in danger of falling out of favor any time soon, the adidas Superstar appears set for a big 2025; JJJJound, CLOT...

By Matt Varga 24 hours
568

Pharrell’s adidas Jellyfish Collaboration Revealed In Paris

If there were a Paris Fashion Week Hall Of Fame, Pharrell would be a unanimous selection. After previewing the Louis Vuitton ButterSoft sneaker alongside partner-in-crime...

By Andrew Rizzo January 22, 2025
11271

Jerry Lorenzo’s adidas Fear Of God Athletics Trainer Debuts This Summer

The next Fear Of God Athletics shoe by Jerry Lorenzo and adidas has emerged via official images. After rolling out the II Basketball in late...

By Andrew Rizzo January 22, 2025
1337

Willy Chavarria’s First adidas Sneaker Drop Is Happening At Paris Fashion Week

2024 American Menswear Designer of the Year Willy Chavarria is finally ready to launch his first capsule collection with adidas. After unveiling several pieces in...

By Andrew Rizzo January 22, 2025
851

John Bouquet Unveils HAL Studios x adidas Intimidation Low Capsule

The adidas Intimidation Low has now found itself in the Three Stripes’ collaborative canon. Following a two-pair capsule by Packer Shoes, the 1999-born hoops shoe...

By Andrew Rizzo January 21, 2025
1810

Toy Story And adidas Hit On A Sequel With Jessie And The Gazelle

The Toy Story adidas saga continues with another kids-exclusive release set to drop this April. Adorning the Gazelle silhouette is Jessie, a central character of...

By Sneaker News January 20, 2025
2179