Words Nicky Gray
On a cold, dreary January evening, the team made their way to the heat and energy of the basketball court to celebrate 50 years of the Adidas Superstar sneaker. An icon of modern design, the Superstar not only revolutionised performance on-court but has continued to push street culture forward. The instantly recognisable leather upper and rubber shell-toe offered more protection and grip to the players, making the canvas court shoes worn at the time redundant. The Superstar fast became an on-court favourite and earned its place in sporting history on the feet of the likes of legendary NBA player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Arguably there has never been a more democratic shoe. The style has never belonged to one group exclusively. Collectives of all kinds have made the Superstar their own: from the legendary NBA players of the 70s and 80s to the boundary challenging New York crews at the heart of the hip-hop revolution. A permanent staple on the feet of Run DMC; when the iconic rap group wore the Superstar laceless with the tongue protruding, in an instant, the silhouette became synonymous with youthful energy and rebellious spirit. Whether done up in Bape camo, expressed in all the colours of the rainbow by Pharrell, or reimagined by Undefeated, Bad Boy Records, and beyond, the Superstar has always served as a canvas of common ground for creatives worldwide.
Adidas now wants to use the voices of these collectives and game-changers for good. With the launch of the Change Is A Team Sport campaign, Adidas aims to inspire positive change in communities all around the world. Bringing together game-changers from music, fashion, sports and art initiatives will demonstrate that change doesn't happen alone. Kicking off the campaign is a film directed by and starring Jonah Hill, along with a cast of Adidas creators including Jenn Soto, Blondey, Ninja, Pharrell Williams and Jackson Wang. Teamwork is at the heart of change, as Hill explains: “There's no knowledge without the older generation who did it first. And there's no change or progression without the new generation. So if those two generations come together, I feel like that creates the atomic charge for great art and great creativity".
We can't wait to see how many communities around the world will benefit from this project. Happy 50th birthday Superstar!
RUN DMC by Lawrence Watson, Courtesy of Adidas
