Among all of the brands fighting for dominance in the sneaker industry, Adidas has had the advantage for a long time. Not only has the brand teamed-up with legends such as Kanye West for a line of Yeezys, its apparel has also seen consistent success. Throughout its long journey, Adidas has obtained fame and fortune, so let’s explore and flash through a brief history of the company.
Did you know that the company was established by Adolf “Adi” Dassler in July of 1924? Before diving into the world of sports shoes, Dassler fought for Germany in World War I. When he returned, he picked up creating sports shoes (as a hobby) in his mother’s laundry room. After turning said hobby into a business, he brought his brother (Rudolf “Rudi” Dassler) along for the ride, establishing Gebrüder Dassler Sportschuhfabrik.
During its early years, the company helped to develop spiked shoes for athletes. As the brand garnered success, it would eventually find itself at the Olympics. The brothers convinced Olympic sprinter Jesse Owens to wear them at the 1936 Summer Olympics, helping spur popularity for the brand and boosting sales to 200,000+ pairs a year.
During World War II, the brand was the only sports sneaker company running in Germany. Did you know that when 1943 came around, the company was forced to convert to an anti-tank weapons manufacturer? This would nearly cause the Dassler factory’s destruction at the hands of U.S. forces two years later. Yet, when they were convinced that Dassler only desired to manufacture shoes, the factory was spared. In fact, many American businessmen and soldiers would go on to become major buyers.
After the war, Gebrüder Dassler Sportschuhfabrik would continue to see success, but behind closed doors, the brothers were on different pages when it came to the company. After they had a falling out, the two would split as business partners, with Adi registering the brand as Adidas (in August 1949) and Rudi going off to establish his own brand, Puma.
Following the split, Adidas continued to see a growth in consumers. The brand really began to draw attention during the late 20th century, especially when Germany won the World Cup in 1954 (the players were rocking the three-striped football cleats during the final game). This would garner Adidas international attention, bringing in further success and spawning new ideas to increase longevity. One of these new ideas was the Franz Beckenbauer tracksuit, which opened the door for the company to branch into apparel. This was a move that would only further propel the brand to stardom, as their apparel saw major success in the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s, especially with the popularity of tracksuits during that time.
Unfortunately, as the ‘90s progressed, the company dealt with a slew of financial issues after being acquired by Bernard Tapie. After the purchase, Tapie failed to pay the loan on time. Although he was given bailouts due to his status, he still filed for personal bankruptcy in 1994. He was also served lawsuits that would land him in prison toward the end of the decade. Despite Tapie’s failures, Adidas still saw success during the decade by developing the EQT Volunteer track jacket. This jacket would definitely be the beginning of a trend in the brand’s catalog, defining the decade by bringing patterns and color-blocking that still remain in style today.
Today, Adidas is still a dominating brand in sports, sneakers, and apparel. The company has been able to remain successful due to a slew of sports appearances and partnerships, most notably a partnership with Kanye West. In 2014, the two partnered after West left Nike. The partnership resulted in silhouettes such as the Yeezy Boost 350 and the Yeezy 700 MNVN, alongside a mound of others, all of which are seen on the feet of sneakerheads every day, around the world.
Since the company’s debut with Adi and Rudi, and the subsequent shift to Adidas in 1949, the brand has been innovating the sportswear industry with new and interesting looks. The company has definitely held a firm grip on sneakers and apparel since the 20th century. Today, the brand continues to explore and innovate with new silhouettes, a trend that will likely continue in the future.
There you have it, a brief history of Adidas. Were you able to keep up with the brand’s turbulent history? Are you a fan of Adidas, or do you prefer other brands? What do you want to see next? Let us know in the comment section.
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