Timeless Stories from adidas Pay Homage to the Three Stripes Archive

Since it was first introduced to the world over 50 years ago, adidas Originals’ iconic signifier – the Trefoil – has lived a thousand lifetimes, trading feet with everyone, from athletes to cultural pioneers. Marking the arrival of a new era, in 2023, adidas Originals pays homage to those that have continued to transport the brand to the forefront of culture, with a new global platform and campaign – 'We Gave the World an Original. You Gave Us a Thousand Back.'  

As the brand launches its new global platform, it does so by introducing a new visual direction which pays homage to the ever present power of ‘Three’ throughout its history. Alongside a new brand typeface, the Trefoil is also reborn with the customary ‘adidas’ inscription being removed from beneath the mark to cut through the noise with greater clarity. 

Headlined by three films shot by three creative pioneers, and a selection of stills arranged in triptychs, each focusing on three timeless ‘characters’ from the storied Three Stripes archive – the Superstar, the Gazelle, and the Samba – the newest adidas Originals brand campaign tells the narrative of the Trefoil’s past, present, and future. 

First up, the celebrated director and founder of LoveSong production studio, Daniel Wolfe, lends his creative eye to the Superstar, as well as acting as a mentor for the other emerging directors in the series. Wolfe's film charts the Superstar’s journey from court icon to cultural powerhouse: beginning with the silhouette’s adoption by professional Basketball players on the hardwood through to famed Hip-Hop group RUN DMC who shook the world wearing the Shell Toe, and beyond.  

Next, the self-taught moving image maker, Will Dohrn, tells the story of the iconic Gazelle silhouette through the lens of a young protagonist who moves across eras – dressed in archival adidas apparel, true to the timeline – meeting pro-skate duo Mike Arnold and Miles Silvas along the way. First introduced as a training shoe and then worn for Track and Field, Will’s film literally races through space and time, spotlighting where and how the Gazelle has been adopted. 

Rounding out the trio is a film by celebrated visual artist Justyna Obasi, which celebrates the story of the Samba. Though originally debuting under a different name, the media affectionately nicknamed the silhouette as the ‘Samba’, comparing the fancy footwork of soccer players with that of samba dancers. Capturing this mythical tale and bringing to life the Samba’s travels across spaces, places, and eras, the film begins with the fluid movements of young soccer players and ends in the many cultural scenes that have made the shoe their own.  

Each film is accompanied by a set of triptych stills shot by Chadwick Tayler, with some sets featuring partners, collaborators, and friends of the brand that have helped to tell the story of the Trefoil, bringing adidas from sport to culture including: Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham, Jenna Ortega, Pusha T, and Jamiroquai, Jude Bellingham, Sam Fender and Joy Crookes.

The new brand campaign was developed through an extensive research process which sought to accurately represent the stories of all three silhouettes – with archival information tracking the history of each shoe through the years, from their creation to the subcultures that have adopted them. To ensure entirely authentic representation, archival apparel was pulled from adidas SVP for creative direction, Nic Galway’s personal archive in Herzogenaurach, Germany, as well as sourcing vintage items in Los Angeles and the UK. 

The films are accompanied by three distinct soundtracks. For Superstar, the song 'Tears' from Italian Composer Giorgio Moroder’s 1972 LP Son of My Father, provides an era defining rhythm and energy. Turning to Gazelle, the fast-paced rhythms of 'Running One' by Johnny Klimek, Reinhold Heil, and Tom Tykwer, serve as the driving force behind the action sequences and scenes. Rounding out the trio, the flamboyant pop-friendly sensibility of T. REX’s 'Cosmic Dancer' helps to celebrate the Samba’s namesake dance centred origins. 

The latest adidas Originals brand campaign is a collection of timeless stories; retold for tomorrow.