Adidas, as the world’s premier sportswear brand, has long collaborated with fashion designers and celebrities to build its image. From Kanye West’s Yeezys to Jonah Hill’s Sambas, their sneakers have become beloved items among sneakerheads everywhere.
Grace Wales Bonner’s Sambas with exposed stitching by Grace Wales Bonner have given this timeless shoe new life and brought it back into the limelight.
1. BAPE x Adidas
BAPE and Adidas first forged an iconic partnership in 2003 when NIGO combined BAPE symbols with Adidas Superstar silhouette to form the foundation for what would become decades of footwear, apparel, and accessory products branded under BAPE/Adidas collaborations. This groundbreaking moment would become one of streetwear culture’s defining moments over two decades later.
Over time, Adidas revisited its classic shell-toe sneaker with different colorways. One particularly remarkable release was their ’11 B-Sides’ offering, featuring a suede ‘Shelltoe’ and navy blue leather detailing from their Superstar original model, combined with French text reading ‘TREFLE EN CHRONS ET BAPE’ on its side panel as a nod to Adidas roots in France; making this design one of their most distinct iterations yet produced.
More recently, Portland Trail Blazers player Damian Lillard collaborated with Adidas on his signature Dame 4 sneaker. Drawing inspiration from digital culture, this launch also featured an NFT drop that tied directly with physical shoes; auctions took place through Adidas COLLECT and allowed fans to earn and redeem NFTs for real-world pairs of iconic kicks.
2. Run DMC x Adidas
adidas Superstar sneakers have long been a part of wardrobes worldwide. Starting life as basketball sneakers, today they can be seen on everyone from Pharrell Williams to BAPE. Yet many are unaware that its immense success wouldn’t have been possible without its iconic rap trailblazers who helped take it mainstream.
That is because Run DMC’s 1986 hit song ‘My Adidas’ was an irrefutable milestone in hip-hop music history; not only did it launch Run DMC onto star status, but it marked the first time any major hip-hop act signed an endorsement deal with an athletic brand.
Today it has become common for rappers and musicians to collaborate with sneaker brands, but Run DMC and their iconic Superstar were the pioneers in doing so. To commemorate their legacy, Nike unveiled a limited-edition Superstar that pays homage to them – you can purchase one here.
3. Pharrell Williams x Adidas
Pharrell Williams has become an iconic force in contemporary streetwear culture through his fashion brand Billionaires Boys Club as well as an eponymous footwear line with Adidas.
Since 2014, Virginia-born multihyphenate John Gourley has collaborated with Herzogenaurach-based label to produce sneaker and apparel collections – from the iconic Stan Smith to NMD Hu. Every model released has become a fan favorite!
But that wasn’t all; Wales Bonner x Adidas sneakers soon became highly coveted items on the market and quickly cemented themselves in premium sneaker culture.
Recently, Pharrell designed an eco-friendly collection for Adidas using textiles from Bionic Yarn – his company which recycles plastic trash into fabric – further underscoring his creative genius and impactful influence on this global brand.
4. Palace x Adidas
From its launch of the Palace Pro Trainer sneaker in 2015, Lev Tanju’s London-based skate brand has enjoyed an intense partnership with German footwear giant Adidas. That initial pair – featuring key elements from both Adidas Gazelle and ZX Flux designs to form a unique silhouette that quickly sold out – has led Palace and Adidas to collaborate on various releases including nature-themed adventure packs earlier this year as well as 2017’s Palace Pro 2 Waterproof sneaks.
The most recent drop from Adidas sees them give the Ultraboost 21 sneakers a sustainable makeover, using 81% Primeblue recycled plastic from remote islands, beaches, and coastal communities that would otherwise end up in landfills or polluting our oceans. They also feature a unique knit pattern as well as Palace Mobius Recycling branding on the tongue of each sneaker.
The capsule also includes running socks and a performance cap designed with dual logos inspired by Balearic life. Each piece boasts colors evocative of the coastal Balearic lifestyle.
5. Adidas Originals by Bedwin
Bedwin draws its inspiration from traveling across world cities to gain culture and style for individual designs that are both functional and informal. Bedwin recently collaborated with Adidas on two muted iterations of the ultra-progressive NMD silhouette in silver and black – featuring sock-fit uppers with tonal heel units, 3-Stripe marks, and joint-branded tongue tags – that showcase this theme.
This collection also features the iconic BW Sweat Track Jacket and Pants as well as a co-designed graphic T-shirt incorporating three stripes motifs, all created in celebration of Members Week and Adidas’ Made to be Remade program ‘Made To be Remade.’ Together these pieces demonstrate both brands’ dedication to making sports more inclusive for all.
Masafumi Watanabe’s label has earned global fame, thanks to founder Masafumi Watanabe’s iconic Tokyo lifestyle brand – this weekend debuting an innovative collection that includes Desert Chukka with subtle paint splatter, Suave Leather Loafer with Campus 80s tooling and CVS Mid featuring a medial zipper.
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