Our opinion
From clothing to shoes and accessories, the Adidas catalog is extremely vast: if you are looking for equipment to practice your favorite sport, you will be served.
On the streetwear side, certain pieces can be worn in an advanced and controlled outfit. However, the majority of clothing offered has no stylistic interest. These will often be pieces that are difficult to wear, loaded with ostentatious slogans and logos. We therefore advise you not to turn to the brand if you are still building your style.
Regarding sneakers, certain iconic models, such as the Stan Smith or the Gazelles, will easily fit into a casual outfit. However, they are extremely common: so don't expect to show originality in this way.
If you are looking to stand out, you can move towards customization, or even collaborations which give rise to strong and sometimes successful pieces. These limited series, such as the one with the environmental association Parley of the Oceans (made from recycled plastic waste) or the designer Yohji Yamamoto (which has had some success), are often ephemeral and can quickly reach exorbitant prices in second hand.
The brand's massive international advertising campaigns are inevitably reflected in the high price of the products, the quality of which remains very poor overall (glued sole, unjustified presence of synthetics, etc.). The technical descriptions of the products on the brand's e-shop are very succinct and the place of manufacture is not specified.
Ethics are also very questionable, whether for the materials used or the means of production (with the following geographical distribution: Asia 68%, Americas 20% and Europe-Middle East 12%). However, it is possible to find information on the group's website which notably shares the list of its subcontractors and suppliers.
However, the company sometimes shows goodwill with certain initiatives such as its participation in Greenpeace's Detox campaign, which aims to improve the management of chemical waste. Keep in mind that it is difficult to determine whether this is a simple process of greenwashing or real awareness. Also, certain studies still point to cases of toxic pollution and working conditions which raise questions.
The history of the brand Adidas
Founded in 1949 in Germany by Adolf Dassler (his brother Rudolf founded the competing brand PUMA the same year), Adidas specializes in sports shoes. Today very varied, its offer covers the entire sports wardrobe.
With a turnover of more than 21 billion euros in 2018, Adidas is the second world leader in sports equipment behind Nike. Iconic and world-famous, the brand has largely taken part in hip-hop and Streetwear cultures through its historic collections and collaborations. One of the best known is the one with the hip-hop group Run DMC.
Available all over the world and on the web, the brand also equips professional athletes in a large number of fields such as football, hockey, and basketball.
