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.
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adidas
The adidas Marathon Tech Arrives On New Year’s Day In New Colorways
After the pomp and circumstance surrounding New Year’s Eve is over and the calendar officially turns, it’s back to business on January 1st. adidas is...
adidas And Size? Team Up With Bike Manufacturer Colnago For A Special Collection
As the lifestyle division of the Three Stripes, adidas Originals is responsible for blending the brand’s extensive and rich heritage together with new concepts and...
The adidas Yung-1 Is Ready To Be Unleashed In More Colorways
After first hitting the market early this summer — and then serving as half of the first set of adidas Dragon Ball Z releases —...
The Cleanest adidas Yung-1 Yet Is Available Now
Easily one of adidas’ best new creations in 2018, the on-trend Yung-1 silhouette fits into the chunky sneaker demographic, while still boasting a sleek enough...
The adidas POD s3.1 Adds Mesh Uppers
A successor of sorts to the ultra-popular adidas NMD line, the adidas POD s3.1 is a unique silhouette with a special two-piece sole. After first...
Upcoming adidas Continental 80s Collection Is Inspired By London’s Transport System
As one of the largest metropolises in the world, London boasts an extensive transit system that ferries millions of commuters across the city on a...
The adidas Temper Run Returns In “Raw Indigo”
Releasing in several bright colorways and serving as the centerpiece of a collaboration with Chicago-based Saint Alfred, the adidas Temper Run has enjoyed a solid...
The adidas Yung-1 Returns In Yet Another Understated Colorway
adidas’ on-trend Yung-1 silhouette is arguably the Three Stripe’s top new silhouette of the year. Checking all of the Trefoil Brand’s usual boxes, it boasts...
Commonwealth and adidas Consortium Present A New ZX500 RM
With locations in Los Angeles, the Philippines, and Virgina Beach among others, Commonwealth knows a thing or two about coastal living. Now, they’re drawing on...