Oh Uh-Uh: Adidas' Black History Sneaker Fail

Fashion has been pretty weird in the past few months.

Weird for People of Color in general. After Prada, Gucci, Moncler, very well known and well-funded luxury brands, no-doubt armed to the teeth with a team whose sole job is to conduct product research, produced trinkets, jackets, and both a sweater and a facemask that resemble black face in the year of our Lord, 2019, we really need to reevaluate our interest and stock in brands and labels.

Unfortunately, it looks like no brand is immune from the foolery.

Sad to report that even the patron saint of millennial athleisure, Adidas, who got their street cred from a Run DMC song and has been embraced by Generation Y, decided to put their name in the problematic fashion fray.

Adidas released a "Black History Month" edition of their Uncaged sneakers that were supposed to honor the Harlem Renaissance, one of the most pivotal times in Black History.

What we got was a white cotton shoe.

There is so much to unpack in Adidas' choice to attempt to issue this shoe.

Black Twitter was quick to let known its immediate displeasure at the disrespect of a white cotton sneaker being presented as a Black History Month tribute shoe.

Adidas was doing great with their UltraBoost Harlem Renaissance inspired shoes for black history month ... but then ... they released the UltraBoost ALL WHITE/COTTON sneaker for Black History Month, and confused the culture. Because of the Black Twitter backlash, pic.twitter.com/9nKd1D1KAI

— SyllabusMag (@SyllabusMag) February 6, 2019

Welcome to Black History Month where:
1. Adidas released an all white Black History Month shoe
2. Jussie Smollett has to prove he was attacked
3. 21 Savage is being detained by ICE
4. Jennifer Lopez is doing the Motown tribute at the Grammys

Anything we need to add?

— Mikeisha Daché (@MikeishaDache) February 5, 2019

this shit is going to far. people are way to hypersensitive. wow they made a shoe that isn’t all black to celebrate black history month and it was made from cotton. jesus christ that’s NOT FUCKING RACIST. people just pick at anything to cause controversies over nothing. @adidas pic.twitter.com/grDGSC5DJG

— fkn dalton. (@SupremeGarments) February 9, 2019

Definitely a @kanyewest idea @adidas #MAGA #NOPE pic.twitter.com/o62IwtHKnd

— YOU LIKE THAT?™️ (@TheMNguru) February 2, 2019

Adidas issued its own social media apology following the ensuing backlash from Black Twitter, saying that the all-white sneaker design “did not reflect the spirit or philosophy” "Toward the latter stages of the design process, we added a running shoe to the collection that we later felt did not reflect the spirit or philosophy of how Adidas believes we should recognize and honor Black History Month," Adidas said in a statement. "After careful consideration, we have decided to withdraw the product from the collection."

But I cannot get around the fact that this is Adidas, yall. This is a brand who like the brands above, have staff whose sole job is to research and study and learn purchasing behaviors of people. And you think that a white cotton sneaker dubbed as a Black History Month tribute would ruffle feathers, given the complex relationship Black People have with cotton? Ridiculous.

At worst, it is outright racist or simply lazy. They would have been better off not doing a tribute at all.

At best, it shows a sheer lack of creativity. How amazing would it have been if Adidas partnered with Black artists every year and had them create a sneaker design in honor of Black History Month? How cool would that be? How unique and dope and empowering and connective would that have been for this behemoth athletic wear brand to give space and platforms for Black artists to create shoes honoring their own people in a way that only people of the community can?

However you feel about the sneakers, whether I am preaching or reaching, we can all acknowledge that Adidas can certainly do better.