A LOOK INTO ADIDAS' RISE INTO FASHION

As a child, Adidas was one of many sportswear brands I saw my mother bring home— her: excited to see me in 90’s billowy joggers, me: more excited about juice boxes. But as time went by, my father shifted my closet to more structured-wear, emphasizing the crispness of a collared shirt and sleek suede shoes over a presumably “lazy” outfit.

    Then, the revival swept the nation. Stan Smith and Superstar Adidas collections came stomping (sometimes literally) all over Instagram feeds, making their way into our minds and later into our closets. Mostly popular from the 60s to 80s, the Stan Smith collection was unique in its green tongue and lack of three bold stripes on the shoe’s side (substituted instead for perforated stripes). The Superstar, on the other hand, was first manufactured in the late 60s as a basketball shoe—the, basketball shoe. Yet, both of these had little to no reason to become staples in both parents’ and their children’s closets. Just last month, the German sportswear brand reported a 38 percent jump in its quarterly profits, boosting it in the eyes of shareholders. They’re proving their fashion worth with their momentum in numbers—coincidence? I think not. Aside from the Stan Smith and Superstar collections, Adidas has been on top of its game when it comes to cross-market retailing strategies, collaborating with icons left and right. Say you can’t get those Yeezys just yet. Here’s three other collections you’ll have to keep your eye out for:

Y-3 Yohji Yamamoto

Slim-fitting sportswear with a minimalist, Japanese twist. Monochrome and meant to fill your seamless outfit needs. A renown experimenter when it comes to the runway, Yamamoto has used subtly in design to accentuate his minimalist atmosphere. Y-3 Yohji Yamamoto is a separate sector from Adidas X and your staple when it comes to sportswear and lifestyle.

 

Adidas X Jeremy Scott

There’s flowers, patterns, crazy colors, more patterns… well, you get the idea. As the Creative Director of Moschino, you can’t help but take a step back and wonder what inspires Jeremy Scott to come up with the crazy (anybody have the Windex spray bottle eau du parfum?) collections year after year. Adidas x Scott will definitely spice up your wardrobe.

Adidas X Raf Simons

A touch of Dior (also, a late tear for Simons’ departure) comes with this collection. His shoes come with the simple, perforated R on the side, plenty of pastel colors and even some funky metallic ones. The deeper you dig, the crazier the models get. Venture at your own risk.