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

Two Pharrell x adidas NMD Hu Collections Are Restocking This Weekend

Pharrell’s last two crops of collaborative adidas NMD Hu releases payed homage to different parts of the world in different ways. First, back in March,...

By Ben Felderstein August 31, 2018
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More Black BOOST Soles Arrive On The adidas NMD

adidas’ influential NMD line continues to grow with another black BOOST-ridden selection that will have Three Stripes fans ready for the changing weather. Black BOOST...

By Ben Felderstein August 30, 2018
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The adidas NMD TS1 “Gore Tex” Releases This Weekend

adidas and Gore-Tex’s longstanding – and successful – collaborative partnership is set to continue this weekend with another durable rendition of the adidas NMD line....

By Ben Felderstein August 27, 2018
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Another adidas NMD R1 With Black Boost Soles Is Here

While it is no secret that adidas’ NMD line is experience significantly less success that it did years ago when it was one of the...

By Ben Felderstein August 23, 2018
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BBC To Release Another Exclusive Pharrell adidas NMD Hu This October

Pharrell’s adidas NMD Hu creations are some of the most though-provoking and colorfully designed sneakers that hit the market with relative frequency. Each and every...

By Ben Felderstein August 22, 2018
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The adidas Rising Star Gets An NMD Outsole

adidas’ early Fall releases will be filled with a number of classic Three Stripes models receiving modern-day upgrades by way of an NMD sole unit....

By Ben Felderstein August 19, 2018
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adidas Pairs The Micropacer With The NMD

After modernizing the classic Micropacer with a Boost midsole to create the adidas Futurepacer, the Three Stripes is re-working the legendary training shoe yet again....

By Sneaker News August 16, 2018
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Sean Wotherspoon x Nike, Air Jordan 1, Yeezy 500, And More Select Restocks At Foot Shop

Every so often, a massive restock event seems to occur through a select retailer. This time around, it’s European retailer Footshop that is poised to...

By Sneaker News August 14, 2018
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The adidas NMD Is Launching A Printed Series For The First Time

Since its introduction to market in 2013, adidas Boost technology has revolutionized the sneaker industry. Its lightweight construction, cloud-like feel and distinct pebbled look have...

By Ross Dwyer August 10, 2018
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