The second drop of the Prada x adidas collaboration Three new colorways coming on September 8th
UPDATE 31/08/2020: After the first drop, which took place last December 4th, Prada and adidas Originals will make their collaborative Superstar available for a new release, which will take place on September 8th. The second drop will see the Superstar (or Pradidas, as it has been dubbed online) in three new colorways: a white one with black stripes, a total black and a silver with sole and white details. This time the shoe will not be accompanied by a bowling bag and the edition will not be limited to a few hundred pieces - the sneakers will still be handmade according to a process divided into a hundred different micro-phases in the Prada factory in Montegranaro.
Last September when Prada presented two sneakers characterized by a knit upper featuring a contrasting print logo down the forefoot, many people saw a not-so-subtle resemblance to one of the most well-known adidas Originals silhouettes, the Hu NMD. The Prada sneakers were available for a limited period of time in a Tokyo pop-up, and quite soon also the sneakerheads forgot about it.
Prada and adidas seem ready to carry out a project together and to announce it was the Italian brand itself, through an Instagram post published in the early hours of Thursday, November 7th. The photo is rather enigmatic but suggests that the collaboration will involve a sneaker model. Portrayed in the photo is, in fact, a Prada shopping bag with two adidas boxes inside, one black with the Three Stripes logo and one blue with the adidas Originals Trefoil line.
If those were just rumours, in the last few hours the collaboration between Prada and adidas has become official. The creative partnership of the brands generated from a shared passion for sports. The two companies have started their adventure together by going through their respective monumental archives. The first achievement of this union is the presentation of two Prada for adidas silhouettes that draw inspiration from the rich heritage and the iconographic legacy of both brands, paying homage to timeless classics. Designed for the sport, rethought for the street style and now turned into luxury items, classics of both labels will make their official debut in December 2019.
The Italian fashion house founded in Milan in 1913, has progressively established at the highest level not only of the luxury market but also of the streetwear industry, thanks to the exquisite quality and refined design of its pieces, enabling them to meet the taste of a heterogeneous audience. Prada has never hidden its intention to expand along this branch, above all through the relaunch of its Prada Linea Rossa collection, a favourite among sneakerheads and street style stars worldwide. At its peak, this collaboration will translate moreover into the manufacture of technical sailing shoes for Linea Rossa, which will be unveiled next year.
Besides potential similarities and shared thematics, what is certain is the relevance both brands have among consumers. In the list of the most searched menswear items in the second quarter of 2019 made by Lyst, featured respectively in second and third position were an adidas sneaker and a Prada shirt, which was also in the fourth position with its iconic bucket hat. At least for male consumers, these are two of the most sought-after labels. Moreover, both Prada and adidas have been featured in the list of the hottest brands in the same period of 2019: consumers look for and want to buy items by these labels, and in terms of image and perception a collaboration between these brands could be massive.
Many reacted with reservations to the announcement of a collaboration between Palace and Ralph Lauren, considered too different in languages and aesthetic, only to later turn into one of the most successful collaborations of 2018. We don't know yet what Prada and adidas are specifically working on, many suggest it might be a sneaker, but without a doubt, just the juxtaposition of these names generates unprecedented anticipation and expectation.
While waiting for the official images of the adidas x Prada sneaker, thanks to the Sneakers Generator app you can let your imagination run free while combining uppers, soles, details, and colourways of the best-known silhouettes of both brands. The Sneakers Generator app is available on the App Store.
Keep following nss magazine for all the updates on this unexpected collaboration.
