adidas

adidas Yeezy 350 Boost a Symbol for Creativity by Alex Young

Since Kanye West stepped into the limelight he has been on a challenging mission to create outside of his musician box. He is a glorified rapper, but many have doubted his artistry, design-eye, and creative ingenuity. For a genius this is frustrating, and Kanye voiced his feelings in the following 2013 interview with BBC Radio 1's Zane Lowe:

Well I’ve reached a point in my life where my ‘Truman Show’ boat has hit the painting, and I’ve got to a point that Michael Jackson did not break down. I have reached the glass ceiling as a creative person, as a celebrity. When I say that it means I want to do product I am a product person, not just clothing, but water bottle design, architecture, everything that you could think about. And I’ve been at it for 10 years and I look around and I say, ‘Wait a second, there’s no one around here in this space that looks like me and if they are they’re quiet as fuck.’ So that means wait a second, now we are seriously in a civil rights movement.

Every project, every interview, and every meeting Kanye West fights for creative achievement no matter who you are. His frustration he expressed in 2013 came to a head in 2014 when Nike refused royalties in his contract, despite the success of the Air Yeezy silhouettes. This led to a welcoming home for Mr. West at adidas as he states, "adidas was a company that was flexible and used to dealing with creatives enough to allow me to create something that was very close to my heart." Yeezy Season 1, adidas 750 Yeezy Boost, and the newest development--adidas Yeezy 350 Boost are all products of Kanye's struggle he wishes everybody to enjoy

Following the success of his high-top 750 sneaker Ye extends his footwear prowess with the low-top 350 causally dressed in a grey-melange Primeknit® upper. At first glance the sneaker is easily compared to Nike's Roshe Run, but the 350 boasts a minimalist aesthetic seen as reflective rope laces mix with the grey colorway and the heel tab appears to be added solely for function. Walk on clouds thanks to adidas' comfortable Boost sole unit. The next installment to Kanye's vision releases globally at select adidas locations on June 27 for $200 USD. "Never stop fighting no matter what anyone says, no matter how they try to compromise you, compromise your vision," says the artist, and let this sneaker be a testament to that very statement.

Kehlani x Mr. Carmack - All In #songsfromscratch by Alex Young

Oakland, California's golden girl, Kehlani Parrish continues her wave of influence with a new song. This time around the 20 year-old, fresh off a record deal with Atlantic on May 6th sparked by success from her You Should Be Here album, partners with friend and Soulection-linked producer Mr. Carmack for a song called "All In"-- part of the original series Songs From Scratch by lifestyle music blog Yours Truly and adidas originals. The pair draws on shared dating troubles to inspire their song, as Kehlani reveals in the track's accompanying interview, "in relationships there's like no in between. Its either all in or nothing," a valuable lesson because no success comes without 100% effort. "All In" provides a perfect example of artists effortlessly using life experience to drive a relevant creative commentary. Enjoy visuals and the music from Kehlani and Mr. Carmack's studio session below.

adidas 2015 McDonald's All American Game Collection by Alex Young

The 38th McDonald's All American Game is right around the corner and will continue in the tradition of featuring our nation's best high school basketball players. Since its inception it has served as a launch pad for basketball's future stars, seeing the likes of LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Kevin Durant, and Kevin Garnett all step on the hallowed stage. The 2015 showcase is highlighted by Isaiah Briscoe, the number one PG in the country with uncanny natural ability, a sharpshooter in Luke Kennard, and pleasantries from another top Center headed to Duke, Chase Jeter.

One of the delights that come with the on court talent is the teams' uniform. adidas has held the McDonald's All American Game contract since 2012, beginning with a zebra-esque print and debuting its innovative shortsleeve jersey in 2013, adidas takes a more subdued approach for 2015. Simplistic white and black REV30 sleeved jerseys are in place with the lead sponsor's golden arches hitting on the left leg of the shorts, and adidas' Three Stripes on the opposite leg. 3M technology is used on the names and numbers. Breaking from the color scheme, the players' footwear is donned in deep purple suede, taking direct cues from Ronald McDonald's pal, "Grimace". The 2015 All Americans will sport the D Rose 5 and D Lillard 1, you can get them too now at adidas.com.

Catch the 2015 McDonald's All American Game Wednesday, April 1, at 8 PM CST on ESPN.

The Middle-Ground Between Sport and Fashion by Maxwell Young

With so many limited release shoes and hundreds of silhouette variations, it's easy to lose focus on the macro view of the sneaker game, but the industry is changing.  Brands like adidas and Nike, which have been synonymous with the sportswear industry, have ventured into the middle ground occupying the merging gap between sport and fashion.

This past fall, adidas released the Tubular: a modern, innovative, and commercial silhouette heavily influenced by the high-fashion Y-3 Qasa Shell.  The shoe's designer and now VP of Global Design, Nic Galway, recently sat down with Nice Kicks to discuss the shoes design as well as how adidas plans to navigate the current intersection between style and sport.  Check out an excerpt of the conversation below as well as the accompanying video, and for a full read head here

Nice Kicks: When did work on the Tubular begin and how did it come about?

Nic Galway: Basically it started some time ago, maybe four to five years back. At that time, I was looking to promote within the company seeing how far back we could take the collective memory of our brand. I was very interested in Originals, but at that time I was working with Y-3. So, I took a trip and was looking at old products, [including the original adidas Tubular.] It wasn’t so much the actual shoes but the prototypes that led to that shoe that really caught my imagination. The prototypes were somewhat crude, they’re handcut, handmade, and they had a real charm about them. It got me really inspired. What I wanted to do was to strip back the idea to what the initial thought would have been as to why they started that product. So it wasn’t about creating a one-to-one version of the original Tubular, but rather understanding why they did it. That took me to the idea of suspending the foot over a tire which is very close to the end product that you’ll see today.

Nice Kicks: In the past couple of years, the non-retro lifestyle running market has really taken off. What do you attribute that to?

Nic Galway: I think people have become a little bit tired [of retro.] They love the past– I think that will always be a strong root in everything we do– but people are looking to be challenged I think. You’ve had a long period of similarity and now I think people are much more open minded. That’s why we’ve created the products we’ve been working on. I think it’s proving to be a big success because the reaction we get to these more challenging products has been incredibly positive. I think that’s a good sign for the industry as a whole.

Nice Kicks: Recently you’ve received a new title. What is your direction as the new VP of Global Design at adidas?

Nic Galway: It’s where we start, it’s all about creativity. What I want is that everything my team does to be rooted in creativity. Whether it’s a bring-back, in which case we do it true to the original and make it to the highest quality, or if it’s something that’s forward reaching, it all has to start with creativity. I really want to bring everything I’ve learned over my experiences with the brand and bring that to the team and I really want to move forward constantly. Adidas is a pioneering brand and that’s what I stand behind.

Nice Kicks: Lastly, what can sneakerheads expect from the adidas Tubular as it launches? Is this the first step towards rapid innovation for adidas or is the Tubular a model that will remain relevant and on the market for years to come?

Nic Galway: I see both. I see the Tubular as a stake in the ground. It’s an intention from us. We want to let people know that we are an innovative brand with a very rich history. I think this rich heritage can either be a hindrance or it can really be a true enabler. For me, it has to be the enabler. I think this is a starting point and what I’m really looking forward to is seeing where we can take the Originals brand moving forward but doing it in a way where people can still connect.
— Nice Kicks

adidas 750 Yeezy Boost Global Release Information by Alex Young

If you did not purchase a pair of the adidas 750 Yeezy Boost over All-Star Weekend in New York City, have no fear. This weekend, Kanye West's first signature shoe with adidas is making its global release at select Consortium retailers and four adidas Originals chapter stores. Even if you miss out on this February 28 release there will be more opportunities to cop the Yeezy Boost as Kanye vowed in an interview with Ryan Seacrest, "This isn't about elitism, this isn't about separatism, this is about as many people being involved with this vision, you know, as possible... Eventually everybody who wants to get Yeezys will get Yeezys. adidas has promised me that." Patience is a virtue though. Below we have included the list of Consortium retailers and adidas Originals flagship stores at which the adidas 750 Yeezy Boost will release. Happy hunting!

adidas Originals: Berlin, London, Seoul, and Shanghai

adidas Consortium:

Australia
Espionage
Highs & Lows

Belgium
Avenue

Canada
Deadstock/Livestock
Off the Hook
Haven

Denmark
Wood Wood
Norse Project

France
Colette
No. 42
Starcow

Germany
Wood Wood
The Good Will Out
No. 74
Solebox
Uebervart

Hong Kong
EXIT
J-01/D-Mop

Italy
Sneakers 76
Slam Jam

Japan
V.A.
Mita
Undefeated JP

Lettland
Wood Wood

Netherlands
Patta

Russia
Fott

Singapore
LE Vault/ The Chamber

Spain
limitEditions
Sivas Des Calzo

Sweden
Tres Bien Shop
SNS

Switzerland
Titolo

Taiwan
Invincible

U.K.
Endclothing
Footpatrol
Hanon Shop
Comme des Garcons/ Dover Street Market
SNS

USA
UBIQ
Sneaker Politics
Packer Shoes
Shoe Gallery
Undefeated
Proper
Bodega
St. Alfred
Kith NYC
Addict
Burn Rubber
Concepts
Dover Street Market NY
The Darkside Initiative