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If there’s one brand that uses the power of collaboration and word of mouth to its advantage, it’s Adidas. Who could forget their iconic Yeezy and Adidas collaboration that influenced fashion in the late 2010s, and their collaboration with Beyoncé for their Ivy Park, which shifted the notions of sports apparel?
Now, Adidas is back with a collaboration for the launch of their Adidas Samba collection, which features an array of brilliantly talented local creatives.
Samba has already been captured on celebrities such as models Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid and graced the feet of US rapper A$AP Rocky.
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The Adidas Samba seems to be back in vogue in a big way and is going to finally be available to the local market from July 14.
Adidas is all about elevating the paradigms of streetwear. Their influence has been apparent since the rise of rap culture during the late 1980s and early 1990s when they decided to collaborate with the US rap group Run DMC in 1986.
This time around, their collaboration will see local creatives from various disciplines customise their very own Samba OGs.
In the mix are three talented artists, who embody street and art culture in South Africa. Street artist Falko One will be contributing to the project. He rose to prominence through the murals and artworks he created in the townships of South Africa. Contemporary artist Naledi Modupi and Kasi Flavour10 founder Kabelo Kungwane will also be lending their hand to the project.
“This partnership with Adidas to launch the Samba OG in our space is timely and we couldn’t be more excited to see how it inspires other South African creatives to join the conversation. We see part of driving the culture forward as intentionally creating opportunities for local talent to become of larger global conversations, like the one around the Samba,” said Sanele Xolo, brand manager at Archive Collective.
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The history of the Samba OG, and its maintained relevance in fashion, is truly remarkable. The first of its kind was designed by Adidas founder Adi Dassler in Germany and released in 1950. In its beginning stages, the shoe was modelled as a soccer shoe for icy soccer fields and indoor soccer but would eventually gain prominence through its name.
The name Samba comes from a popular Brazilian dance and was used as a marketing ploy to get soccer fans to buy the shoe. To date, the Samba has remained relevant for more than 70 years and has become Adidas’ second-most popular piece of all time, just after the Stan Smith sneaker. The Samba has even graced the feet of trailblazers, such as Bob Marley and Freddie Mercury.
Adidas brand manager Noxolo Mafu expanded on the significance of the collaboration:
“This is really about celebrating this iconic piece that has survived decades. We have seen the Samba become an important piece of Adidas' history that has been iterated several times. It is such a classic. We have these amazing artists who will add their own flavour to the shoe.
The event will be held at the Archive Collective in Cape Town on Bree Street from 18:00 until 21:00 on July 14.
