Anyone interested in sneakers knew how powerful Adidas was at its peak in the past decade. Collabs with Kanye West and Pharrell Williams soared in terms of demand and popularity. The German-founded footwear and apparel label heavily relied on classic models like the Superstar and Stan Smiths for most of the brand’s existence. There was a rather recent monumental “boost” that impacted the industry as a whole.
Kanye West’s Yeezy line is arguably the best thing to happen to Adidas since its creation in 1949. However, before the existence of Yeezys came an influential model that propelled the sneaker label to new heights. With the introduction of the Ultra Boost, Adidas brought itself to the forefront of lifestyle, streetwear, and athleisure niches simultaneously. After Kanye was first seen rocking a pair of Ultra Boosts, the rest fell into place for the new silhouette that debuted in 2015. Shortly after, the first Yeezy dropped and Adidas never looked back (for a while).
Time For A Boost
During the middle of the 2010s, Adidas sought after a new identity. The brand with the three stripes desperately needed more leverage to stay up to par with its biggest competitors. Generally, Adidas was seen as a brand focusing on classic models originally released decades ago. Nike was always the more innovative and better looking big brother; nobody could ever get the two brands confused in terms of versatility.
In 2015, Adidas released the Ultra Boost, which is still considered one of the most comfortable shoes on the market today. The innovative “boost” took the sneaker industry by storm. Responsive and bouncy materials allowed for an experience close to “walking on clouds.” The new silhouette became an instant classic especially when Kanye West started to wear them. Ultra Boosts helped Adidas stay relevant as they came out with an innovative and visually appealing sneaker that would appeal to sneaker enthusiasts and everyday people alike.
Adidas knew it was time for change and introduced the boost technology that propelled the label through the rest of the decade. Collaborations have always been popular, but soon became a staple for many sneaker brands in recent history. The artists a label chooses to work with says a lot about the overall brand itself. Adidas realized the potential it had with numerous creatives and designers.
The Life of Yeezy
Many sneakerheads appreciate the Nike Air Yeezy and and Air Yeezy II even if they like the shoe or not. The releases sold out instantly and paved the way for other non-athletes to collaborate with footwear giants. After a brief stint with Nike, Kanye West was a free agent in the sneaker world. Despite not being an athlete, the Chicago-based rapper and designer sought to make monumental deals in the fashion world. He would not let his talents be denied simply due to the fact that he had no professional sporting experience.
In November 2013, Adidas and Kanye West inked an endorsement deal that would change the sneaker game forever. Ten years prior, nobody could imagine a fashion designer signing a deal like West did with the German sportswear company. Adidas Yeezy or simply Yeezy was founded shortly after the deal. The duo debuted the first Yeezy in 2015 with the Adidas Yeezy Boost 750. The high-top sneaker was just the beginning of the long run for West and the footwear giant he partnered with.
The Yeezy 350 Boost came out in Summer 2015 and became an instant hit. Releasing several colorways of the first model and eventually a V2, Adidas and Kanye were on a tear for multiple consecutive years. Other models such as the 700s, and most recently the Foam Runners proved to be extremely popular as well. People who were die-hard Nike fans ventured outside of their typical habits. Even non-sneaker enthusiasts quickly picked up on Yeezys. The new kicks were a hit in cities, suburbs, the States, across the pond, and virtually anywhere people wear sneakers. Kanye West and Adidas showed no signs of stopping as the decade started to come to a close.
Jumped Over Jumpman
Along with its meteoric rise in the new Yeezy line, Adidas saw its overall sales evidently skyrocket. Collaborations with Pharrell, Pusha T, and brands like Bape, Palace, and Undefeated pushed other products besides Yeezys such as Ultra Boosts and NMDs. Boost was practically in every sneaker retail and resale store around the world. The German-founded brand gained more respect in competition with its American-based big brother. Rather than its typical role of playing second fiddle, Adidas was seen as the 1B to the 1A of Nike around 2015/2016.
Nike had Jordan while Adidas had Yeezy. Sneaker enthusiasts everywhere could not stop the comparisons between J’s and Yeezys. Everyone had to put in their two cents no matter if it was warranted or not. Even Kanye West added to fuel to the fire when he dropped an unofficial diss track towards Nike. In his song, “Facts,” on The Life of Pablo, West clearly let the world know how he felt about Jordan Brand:
“Yeezy, Yeezy, Yeezy just jumped over Jumpan.”
The debates of whether Yeezy did in fact jump over Jumpman only intensified after the song released in February 2016. Despite the rapid rise of the Yeezy line, Jordan has been around for far longer and resonates with more people across the world. Jumpman’s numbers are almost untouchable compared to those of other sneaker brands.
Post Ye
Adidas has a lot of questions to answer as the 2020s bring a new era for the company. As the 2010s came to a close, the Yeezy line started to slow down despite still remaining popularity among the masses. The brand with the three stripes eventually lost its spot as the unanimous number two sneaker company in the world. The gap between two and three is a lot slimmer than it was in the middle of the last decade.
After the huge news of Adidas annihilating their deal with Kanye West in October 2022, the sportswear company no longer boasts a clear outlook as the new decade progresses. Sales inevitably crashed shortly after the news broke out. Even with Adidas releasing the same models without the Yeezy name, many people will most likely not purchase the sneakers with the same price point.
The rest of the decade will determine how the German-based sportswear company’s future will look. There is still time to rebound after the Kanye West era, but Adidas must act fast before they are pushed to the wayside by numerous competitors. Only time will tell how Adidas will overcome the roadblock after losing their biggest endorsement deal in the company’s history.