‘Pause All Product Launches’: adidas Re-Evaluate Balenciaga Partnership

One of 2022’s highest-profile fashion and sneaker crossovers in the Balenciaga x adidas collaboration has been put on hold until further notice, according to both brands. In customer service emails supplied to Sneaker Freaker, pre-orders for some items in the collection are not being fulfilled by either company, who were exclusive carriers of the colab.

According to the adidas customer service email sent out last week, ‘We have taken the time to re-evaluate our partnership with Balenciaga and we have decided to pause all product launches until further notice.

Unfortunately, therefore, we will be unable to fulfil your pre-order of the Balenciaga/adidas Stan Smith.’

The same customer had also placed a pre-order for the Stan Smiths via Balenciaga, who sent out order updates stating the item ‘will be delayed in shipment’ and to ‘ignore the previous email notification with … tracking number inside.’

Prior to this, the customer had received a pair of Triple S in the same collection from Balenciaga, so it appears the brands are responding to a dynamic situation. While this has so far emerged from Singapore, it’s likely this pause will be effective globally.

This decision on adidas’ side follows some particularly dramatic months for Balenciaga on a number of controversies. The Three Stripes also experienced some separately tumultuous events of their own this year.