Why the Fear of God x adidas Collaboration is Vital for the Three Stripes
Via @fearofgodathletics
Collaborations between footwear brands and fashion/streetwear labels have become increasingly prevalent in recent years, blurring the lines between athletic performance and fashion-forward aesthetics. Among these partnerships, the Fear of God x adidas collaboration stands out as a groundbreaking and influential alliance that has redefined the boundaries of sportswear and elevated sneaker culture to new heights. As we anticipate the release of the Fear of God x adidas collection, this collaboration is crucial for the Three Stripes. Here’s why.
Fear of God’s foray into the collaborative sneaker space was an absolute hit. The Nike Air Fear of God 1 saw multiple colourways sell out immediately and resell for thousands on the secondary market. The collaborative Nike Air Fear of God Raid and Shoot Around also flew off shelves, with both sneakers being an upscaled take on 90s basketball sneakers. Appetite grew for more between the Swoosh and FoG, but the partnership ended up fading away.
In an Instagram post from December 2020, Lorenzo showed off a Three Stripes tattoo on the back of his neck, which took the sneaker and fashion world by storm. The constant battle between and isn’t a new one, but losing Lorenzo to the Three Stripes was a stiff jab that Nike had to eat once again, similar to the situation.
Initially tapped to revitalise adidas Basketball’s creative and business strategy, the anticipation was palpable. In the social media age, people want instant gratification, and Lorenzo was not taking part. The Fear of God California Mule seemed to be the point of focus for Lorenzo at the time, but with no news of a release coming from Lorenzo’s camp outside of a few teasers via Instagram, things went radio silent about the collaboration.
What also flew under the radar was that the collaboration evolved as adidas Basketball launched their ‘Remember the Why’ campaign in December 2022, and it very much gave off ESSENTIALS vibes. Fans speculated on the collection, which prompted FoG to respond and put out a statement on Instagram saying that it has nothing to do with the upcoming Fear of God x adidas release and that fans should stay tuned to the first half of 2023 about the anticipated colab.
Almost three years after the initial announcement about joining the Three Stripes, FoG were set to unveil the collaboration in April 2023 at the Hollywood Bowl alongside the brand’s 8th collection. Once again, anticipation was the name of the game, where press, celebrities, friends, and family flooded the venue and waited for hours for the show to begin. Although the show showcased what’s to come between FoG and adidas, it only left fans wanting more.
Sneakers were teased this time around, including the Fear of God x adidas The One, a new basketball silhouette and a collaborative adidas Attitude Low and High more recently. But how many teasers can we get before we start to lose interest?
A lot is riding on this collaboration for adidas. The fallout between adidas and other partnerships has put adidas in a huge bind financially, which is presumably why adidas and Yeezy are partnering up again to sell off the remaining inventory. This puts a huge amount of pressure on Lorenzo and Fear of God. Lorenzo’s meticulous attention to detail is what makes him great, but the anticipation and excitement will turn into cynicism and disappointment if the collaboration doesn’t drop in a timely manner.
Can’t rush genius, I guess.