By Christian Habermeier and Sebastian Jäger

Cover Photo Courtesy of Taschen

It all started 100 years ago, when brothers Adolf – nicknamed “Adi” – and Rudolf Dassler made their first pair of sports shoes. And with the latter, the story of groundbreaking designs, epic moments and star-studded collaborations started. With one century of Adidas, this book honors this heritage in a way that is as special as this brand.

Being the first visual review of the Adidas shoe, this volume includes more than 350 styles. Behind this brand lies a story of compassion and development. To tailor his products to the wearers’ needs, Dassler asked his clients to return their worn footwear when they no longer needed them. The collected items ended up in his attic and now make up the “Adidas archive”, which is one of the largest in the world. Looking at this great history, it was only natural for photographers Christian Habermeier and Sebastian Jäger to document this archive with extreme attention to details. These visuals are accompanied by the personal stories of each wearer, including those of West Germany’s football team and the shoes they wore during the 1954 World Cup win, as well as those worn by Kathrine Switzer during the Boston Marathon in 1967, before women were officially allowed to compete. It also showcases custom designs for stars like Madonna and Lionel Messi, and collaborations with celebrities like Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, Raf Simons and Stella McCartney – to name a few.

With a foreword by designer Jacques Chassaing and expert texts, the history of the brand is on display for all sports shoe lovers to indulge in!

Article Written by Mirella Haddad