ADIDAS ORIGINALS BY MARY KATRANTZOU AW14

adidas Originals by Mary Katrantzou AW14 model_1

Mary Katrantzou’s creations have commanded attention since her first LFW show. The aptly named “Queen of Prints”, who is recognized as one of fashion’s most innovative designers today, has collaborated with sportswear pioneer, adidas, to create adidas Originals by Mary Katrantzou – a collection of apparel and footwear adorned in the designer’s immersive designs.

For adidas Originals, Katrantzou’s vision is keenly translated, as she finds inspiration in the expansive adidas archive of footwear. Track shoes worn by medal winners from the 1970s and 80s were the inspiration for a series of prints that re-contextualize the history of adidas iconography.

Micro becomes macro as Katrantzou turns these symbols on their head and introduces her own visual language that is defined by the outsoles, laces, and pop icons of the adidas running shoe, as it has evolved through time.

Though the clothes find their origins in athletic shoes, Katrantzou translates the filtered beauty within her inspiration to create a collection that places a strong emphasis on the female form. Silhouettes are taut and technical, streamlined close to the body. An exaggerated coat dress, constructed using neoprene panels of ultramarine and coral flashes, creates a sharp silhouette using the brand’s iconic Trefoil logo as inspiration for the print.

Footwear combines the designer’s eye for precision engineering, with adidas’ legacy of innovative technology and breakthrough technical design. The Equipment Racer, a deconstructed mesh and textile upper with a clear glitter outsole is covered in a laced up floral pattern. Meanwhile, allowing room for a unisex aesthetic, the ZX 5000 covers its soft suede upper with molded silicon and distinct metal spikes, placing the actual sole design of the adidas iconic running shoe, on the shoe’s front. These shoes, much like the entire collection, subvert the iconic running shoe and the adidas Trefoil logo into a vision of powerful, 21st-century femininity that is wholly Katrantzou’s.

Katrantzou is looking forward to bringing a different product range to her audience and putting her own stamp on the legacy of adidas Originals, as sportswear continues to define the fashion and luxury markets; “When adidas first approached me, I took time to think about what I could offer that’s different, what I could say through the collection that they haven’t said before. I grew up, like so many other kids around the world, wearing adidas sneakers, and bringing my vision to such a global brand is a great challenge. They have a fantastic heritage and their ability to innovate in sportswear makes them the perfect partner for us to work with in this market. I believe print and colour communicate perfectly to a wider audience”, she said. “I wanted this collection to be more democratic because what I do every day is niche and it’s about luxury; it’s great to be able to translate my work into a product more people can enjoy.”

adidas Originals by Mary Katrantzou £130