In real life, it’s probably much more ordinary looking, but if we had to imagine what the Adidas archive would look like, it would have to be the sneaker equivalent to one of those vast, ancient, subterranean catacombs that you see in movies. You know, mummified remains wearing jewel encrusted, solid gold crowns, piles of precious gems thrown in corners like three week’s worth of old laundry, sepulchral skull artwork sporting rubies the size of softballs for eyes, that sort of thing. The other possible comparison is the world’s biggest library, where a tower sized building holds tomes of ancient wisdom from floor to ceiling. Then there’s the priceless treasure factor. Try finding coveted classics that you’ll find in the archive, like the Barcelona, Fire, Galaxy or Cord, today. It’s probably not going to happen without some serious vintage connections. In either case, the comparison serves as a proper, visual representation of one very simple fact; Adidas has spent the past seven decades churning out so many legendary shoes that it’s almost impossible to keep track of them all.
The Never Made pack is a “past meets future” celebration of Adidas history that features a selection of influential, enduringly popular heritage silhouettes, updated with the latest technological advances. But, with a historical pedigree like the one Adidas boasts, this project was never going to be just any old mash-up of modern and retro elements. The Never Made pack highlights and amplifies the threads that connect the classic designs of the past with the updated technology of the present.
The running icons that provided the DNA for the uber-popular NMD are outfitted with the modern NMD Boost sole, not only demonstrating the direct historical link, but also the ability of these “old school” designs to thrive in contemporary fashion. Applied to the intense athletic performance of classics from the basketball and Equipment ranges, the modern technology emphasizes Adidas’s devotion to innovation, and with the blend of contemporary and classic casual style, the timeless good looks that have made Adidas shoes an essential part of the fashion landscape, all over the globe are presented as an evolving, but unbroken chain.
Adidas Never Made is more than hybrid design. It is a reminder that true quality and vision cannot be confined to a single moment in time. Or, in other words, to quote another slice of Adidas history, impossible is nothing.
