WHAT DOES ADIDAS STAND FOR?
ADIDAS NAME HISTORY
What does Adidas stand for? Adidas is the abbreviated form of Adi (Adolf) Dassler, the name of its founder. The brand began life as Dassler– when it belonged to the family– then Addas– after Adi and brother Rudi parted ways in 1948– before it became the now world-famous Adidas we know today in 1949.
ADIDAS’S BRAND VALUES
The Adidas ‘What We Believe In’ webpage states their brand values as “COURAGE, OWNERSHIP, INNOVATION, TEAMPLAY, INTEGRITY and RESPECT”.
Adidas certainly showed ownership and integrity when it terminated its partnership with Kanye West in 2022 over anti-Semitic remarks. Sales of Yeezy were on track to reach $1.8 billion dollars that year according to The New York Times.
Adidas is a company driven towards sustainability. “By 2025, 9 out of 10 articles made by Adidas will be sustainable,” Adidas’s Sigrid Bührle wrote for Gameplan by Adidas. “In 2022, we achieved 7 out of 10, but the last 20 per cent will be the most challenging.” Adidas is working with organisations like Textile Exchange : “Our vision is a global fashion and textile industry that gives back more than it takes from our planet.” their about page reads.
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ADIDAS’S EARLY BRAND HISTORY
Adidas is foremost a sportswear brand: Tracksuits, Adidas Hockey Shoes, Tennis Shoes and Adidas Football boots like the Adidas 19.1 are core to the brand. It’s not only the sportswear itself which makes Adidias so prolific today, however, the brand is famed for its influence on fashion and its adoption by youth subcultures. It was Adidas’s basketball shoes that propelled the brand into the zeitgeist in the latter half of the 20th century, particularly in America.
Adidas started small, with the Dassler family creating household slippers from refuse materials. Adolf adapted these for use as a light gymnastics shoe, and for footballers. The 1928 Amsterdam Olympics saw German athletes compete in Dassler shoes, and Jesse Owens famously wore a pair during his winning sprint at the 1936 Olympic games.
During world war two the Dassler factory was commandeered by the Nazis for the production of military boots (the brothers Adi and Rudi were reportedly members of the party). The Dasslers parted ways after the war, continuing to produce athletics shoes separately – the famous Puma brand was Rudi’s answer to Adidas.
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ADIDAS IN AMERICA
In the American market, it was Adidas’s jump into basketball that rocketed its popularity. Though Adidas was famed in Europe for its football shoes and boots, entering into the American market would garner the brand worldwide recognition – and staggering profits. In 1965 Adidas ventured into basketball with the Supergrip and Hightop Pro model. In 1970 the Adidas Supergrip became the iconic Adidas Superstar.
The Adidas Top Ten sneaker was released in 1979. The Adidas Forum was released in 1984. Run DMC’s 1986 hip-hop classic ‘My Adidas’ re-ignited a love for Adidas’s ageing Superstar silhouette. The Adizero Rose 1 was released in 2010 and the Rose 1.5 in 2011 – which closely resemble the Nike Air Jordan 5s and onwards.
ICONIC ADIDAS SILHOUETTES
Adidas Superstars
The Adidas Superstar, born on the basketball courts in 1969, revolutionised athletic footwear. Initially designed as the "Pro Model," its iconic shell toe and distinctive tri-stripes gained prominence when NBA players embraced it. Renamed the Superstar, it transcended sports, becoming a symbol of street style. Worn by hip-hop pioneers like Run-DMC, the Superstar elevated into a cultural phenomenon. Its success lies in its adaptability, seamlessly transitioning from athletic gear to a fashion statement. With an enduring legacy, the Superstar is a testament to the fusion of sports and streetwear, consistently resonating with diverse audiences worldwide.
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Adidas Stan Smith
The Adidas Stan Smith, an emblem of minimalist elegance, originated in 1963 as the "Robert Haillet" before tennis legend Stan Smith endorsed the model in 1971. Renowned for its clean design and iconic green heel tab, it swiftly became a cultural icon. Worn by style influencers from Pharrell Williams to Meghan Markle, its success lies in timelessness. The Stan Smith transcends trends, seamlessly blending versatility and sophistication, making it a perennial favourite. Its enduring appeal is a testament to the power of simplicity and a design that effortlessly traverses sports arenas and fashion runways, etching its legacy in both realms.
Adidas Ozweego/ Raf Simons Ozweego
The Raf Simons Ozweego, a paradigm shift in sneaker culture, seamlessly fuses high fashion and streetwear. Debuting in 2013, Simons reimagined a 1996 running silhouette with futuristic panache. The collaboration with Adidas emerged from Simons' desire to challenge conventional design, resulting in an avant-garde masterpiece. Worn by fashion mavericks like A$AP Rocky and Rihanna, the Ozweego's revolutionary appeal lies in its bold, deconstructed aesthetic and the transcendent blurring of boundaries between luxury and athletic wear. These iconic sneakers transcend mere fashion, embodying a cultural manifesto that resonates with those who seek sartorial innovation and rebellion against the status quo.
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Adidas Samba/ Adidas Wales Bonner Samba
The Adidas Samba, a timeless classic born in the '50s as a soccer trainer, now enjoys a haute couture revival through the Adidas x Wales Bonner collaboration. Grace Wales Bonner, acclaimed for her Afro-Atlantic inspirations, reinterprets the Samba with a cultural infusion. This collaboration, a nod to reggae and dancehall aesthetics, combines the Samba's athletic legacy with Bonner's artistic prowess. Worn by fashion icons like Beyoncé, the Wales Bonner Samba is revolutionary for seamlessly blending heritage and contemporary allure, embodying a harmonious dialogue between sportswear and avant-garde fashion, captivating audiences with its rich narrative and style convergence.