Leaked images of Adidas and Fear of God‘s long awaited collaboration emerged yesterday in the form of a white shower slide embossd with three stripes, clearly inspired by the holy trinity tattoo Jerry Lorenzo revealed after the partnership was announced. The shoe’s insole is co-branded with both brand’s logos.
These took 2 years to create https://t.co/reBSuilOOM
— sockjig (@sockjig) March 22, 2023
The response to the shoe has ranged from disappointment to outright outrage, with some critics even questioning Jerry Lorenzo’s skills as a designer. Others directed their scrutiny towards Adidas, casting doubts on the brand’s ability to effectively identify and partner with talented creatives.
Adidas and Lorenzo haven’t responded to the leaked images and as of now there are still no details much less official images of the collection. Adidas and Fear of God Athletics did produce two sweatshirts that were sold at a streetwear festival in Shanghai, but since then it’s been crickets.
The Adidas and Lorenzo has been a long and winding rode since the partnership was announced in December 2020. Initially, Lorenz was announced as directing Adidas basketball through a design silo dubbed Fear of God Athletics. Not long after, ex-Jordan executive Jason Mayden was announced as president of the brand. Rather than operate out of Adidas’ Portland headquarters, Lorenzo built out a new space in Los Angeles where members of the team relocated.
Two years later, Adidas announced a basketball lifestyle collection, which was assumed be many to be Fear of God Athletics collection. In response to the chatter, Lorenzo issued a statement letting it be known he was no longer leading the Adidas basketball category “from a creative or strategic perspective as previously announced.” While no announcement was made, Mayden’s LinkedIn profile showed he had exited the brand in December.
The statement from Fear of God Athletics also noted the first collection of shoes and apparel with Adidas would launch in spring 2023. However, no updates have been provided regarding the exact timing of the release.
Meanwhile, Lorenzo’s Instagram account features numerous images showcasing the lead-up to his inaugural Fear of God runway show, which is scheduled to take place on April 19, 2023 in Los Angeles. Although Lorenzo may unveil the Fear of God Athletics collection during the runway show, there is currently no indication that he intends to do so.
