adidas is trying to raise its profile in the fashion world, and its latest effort for the cause is a collaboration with Junichi Abe of Japan's Kolor. The two have teamed up to give a stylish makeover to adidas' performance line.
Abe, who helped launched Junya Watanabe and has worked with Yohji Yamamoto, is best known for bringing unique cuts and fabrics to his clothes. His collaboration with adidas brings the same stylish edge to the performance-wear with a 21 piece collection that includes a metallic, space-age down jacket with asymmetrical zippers, and a shirt made out of Climachill jersey, which keeps body temps even while getting active.
The collaboration also appears to have layered shorts, and a neoprene jacket. There will also be two new shoes available that utilize the Climaheat, Climachill, and Boost technologies from adidas.
"Sports style is really a giant consumer vertical; it’s very lifestyle sportswear, so there is much more of a fashion element," Dirk Schönberger, creative director of adidas’ sport style division, told Business of Fashion about the sportswear brand's collaborations with fashion labels. Schönberger also revealed that there could be plenty more on the horizon. "We have to deliver — at a minimum every week — something that excites the consumer," he said. "The verticals and the [speed of the] Internet have changed the way we do things."
The adidas x Kolor line will hit stores Sept. 25. For now, you can drool over the images below.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
