1950s
Once the 3-Stripes became official in 1949, the ‘50s became a boom of technology, innovating equipment for world class athletes. adidas’ first decade delivered the Samba which soccer players today still use for agility and speed on the indoor soccer field and style in the streets. The ‘50s also marked the development of a world record holding sprint shoe, and the first football boot designed with a nylon sole which had an immediate impact on fit and feel. This decade established the groundwork for later developments as well, like the Allround training and basketball shoe that would become an icon in the ‘80s. These years were revolutionary, creating a shift in what athletes wore to perform at the top, but it was just the beginning for adidas.
1960s
The ‘60s was the decade for breaking barriers—from Kathrine Switzer blazing the Boston Marathon trail as the first woman to officially run a marathon, to the introduction of the Fosbury Flop that forever changed how athletes approached the high jump. This was the decade for athletes to push the limits of their sport with top-of-the-line products for that time. adidas developed the first specialist running shoe, along with the Azteca Gold sprint spike for the Mexico Olympic games that gave the competitors an extra edge. The’ 60s also introduced future streetstyle staples like the iconic adidas tracksuit and the training shoe turned cult classic, the adidas Samba.
1970s
The ‘70s brought us iconic music, culture and fashion, as well as prominent moments in sport history. From the Telstar, the World Cup’s first official soccer ball to the first edition of the cult favorite adidas Superstar, the ‘70s proved to be an influential period for today’s culture. This decade laid the foundation for streetwear staples we still love today, like the Adilette, the world’s most popular slide, and the iconic white tennis shoe named after Stan Smith. As these styles evolved into today’s, we’ve kept sustainability and innovation top of mind. The Nite Jogger lit up the ‘70s with new materials for running in the dark, and was re-imagined with Boost in 2019 as a glowing street sneaker for late-night creators.
1980s
The 80s was a decade for innovation. Sports influenced culture, music influenced fashion and technology progressed. adidas made strides bringing new technologies to shoes for athletes of all kinds. The Micropacer introduced digital fitness tracking to running with a screen on the tongue of the shoe that measured distance, average speed and calorie consumption. 1983 introduced the adidas Copa Mundial, which became the bestselling football cleat and an icon on the field that’s still worn by soccer players today. Torsion ZX8000 introduced a flexible torsion technology to running, making it the first shoe to match the natural movement of a runner’s ankle. The ‘80s broke barriers in culture as well, with Run-D.M.C garnering a cult following with the M45k Best bomber jacket. New York Marathon legend Grete Waitz logged iconic miles in the Atlanta. The Hercules shoe inspired a high-top revolution in the music industry, and the cushioning elements of the ‘80s inspired later shoes like the adidas NMD.
1990s
Though the ‘90s was a period of recognizable fashion, it was also a decade for bringing technologies closer to where they are today. For the Boston Marathon, adidas developed an iconic teal and white EQT Volunteer Jacket. This track jacket marked a new era for adidas, sporting the new 3-Stripes EQT logo that later evolved into today’s recognizable Badge of Sport. Other track jackets like the Anga featured colorful patterns and color blocking that is popular again today. In 1994, the soccer field got a new player in the game. The Predator Cup was a true revolution in footwear for soccer players, designed with ridges on the toe box to increase friction between the boot and the ball.
2000s
The 2000s further developed what upon what was already working. Next came a custom Predator Precision SG shoe for world class soccer star David Beckham, and the Adizero Adios Neftenga, the shoe that Haile Gebrselassie set a marathon world record in. The Supernova Cushion M became the classic 2000s running shoe, which has regained popularity today in the chunky shoe trend. adidas broke into performance swimwear when cutting edge swimsuit technology was released for Ian Thorpe to reduce drag in the water. It was also the decade for collaborations, with Yohji Yamamoto releasing the YY MEI Brocade which paved the way for Y-3, and Stella McCartney developing a line of high fashion sportswear that continues today.