adidas has recaptured some attention over the past few months. No, not because the brand is killing it in the NBA, with new athlete signings, or challenging the status quo on the soccer field. Instead, the excitement is bred through an unmatched campaign to unite thought leaders in music and style. The three stripes are buzzing after luring a disgruntled Kanye West away from Nike and add him to an already lofty crew of designers that include Yohji Yamamoto, Raf Simons, Rick Owens, and Jeremy Scott. Now it appears there's another big-name signing for adidas that's been just out of sight of the blogosphere, Pharrell Williams.
A month ago, Highsnobiety published an industry rumor that Pharrell was signing to the sports brand, and reported, "Multiple sources have cited that the German firm has been working for months on an agreement that would add Williams to the adidas roster of artists and designers."
Two days later, on January 26, Pharrell showed up to the Grammys in a Vivienne Westwood brown hat that stole the show, but he was also wearing a pivotal garment: A leather version of adidas' classic Firebird jacket that had been made famous by B-boys in the '80s.
[image via Pharrell's Instagram]
Since then, the evidence has been rolling in and pointing to Pharrell - who previously has designed sneakers with A Bathing Ape, Nike, and Reebok - coming on-board with adidas.
Two weeks after Pharrell hit the Grammy red carpet, he appeared at a nominee luncheon for the Academy Awards in a pair of customized white and green adidas Stan Smiths that read, "I Dunno," on the right sneaker sneaker and "Inside" on the left shoe.
Let's pause for a second. When was the last time Pharrell wore sneakers that weren't from a high-end fashion house?
Image via Getty
As much as he is known amongst sneakerheads and has influenced them from their infancy stages as hypebeasts, Pharrell has opted for Timberlands, Lanvins, and Wallabees over Air Jordans and Air Force 1s.
As of late, though, it seems like Pharrell hasn't stepped out of his house without adidas on. For his appearance at the Visual Effects Society Awards, on February 12, he once again showed up in his beat-up Stan Smiths - which he had been spotted in just two days prior at LAX.
Then the All-Star Game pre-game performance happened. One can argue that Pharrell's performance, which featured throwback jams with guest appearances from Snoop Dogg, Nelly, Busta Rhymes, and Diddy, was more exciting than the actual game. And he was wearing his trusty Stan Smiths.
Pharrell briefly ditched his Stan Smiths for a pair of hardbottoms during a performance on February 19 at the Brit Awards. But he was back in them for the show's after party.
This past weekend, Pharrell took a trip to Europe, and his first stop was Germany, the birthplace of adidas, to perform on a German television show. Of course, Pharrell was head-to-toe in adidas - wearing a yellow Firebird jacket and his Stan Smiths. Before the performance, Pharrell took to Instagram and snapped a quick pic of his insanely worn Stan Smiths next to a Moynat bag. It's not everyday that Pharrell shows the world his sneakers.
[Image via Pharrell's Instagram]
One can only guess if Pharrell had any meetings with higher-ups at adidas during his trip.
As his trip has gone on, Pharrell wearing adidas has only increased. This morning, he gave an interview to the French press, and he showed up in a green Firebird jacket.
This would be the perfect timing for adidas and Pharrell to officially join forces. His latest single, "Happy," is tearing up the airwaves, and his first solo album since 2006's In My Mind, titled GIRL, is set to release on March 3. Pharrell is at the center of the consumer's conscience, and his shown design savvy is a no-brainer asset for adidas.
This would be the perfect timing for adidas and Pharrell to officially join forces.
Adidas' biggest signature athlete, Derrick Rose, is now sitting out his second consecutive season and Pharrell is making people jam the same way they did during N.E.R.D.'s heyday - or even more so.
His design partner for his BBC Bee Line and Black collections, Mark McNairy, has designed his second collection with adidas, and Pharrell's credibility with anyone with an ounce of style is unflappable. He has also been a collaborator, musically, with Kanye West. It's not a stretch to see Pharrell's connection with adidas. His friends already design product for the brand, and he's been known to wear Raf Simons.
We have to wait for Pharrell and adidas to announce their official partnership to start wondering what the collection will hold. Will it just be sneakers, or will it contain apparel? Either way, for now, all arrows are pointing to Pharrell and adidas joining forces, and him smashing 2014.
