The history of Adidas is marked by groundbreaking models , epic moments and tells the story of the design of the now must-have athletic shoe , worn by figures like Lionel Messi , Run DMC and Madonna . This book, the mecca of sneakers fans, presents the entire history of Adidas through 357 pairs of shoes , including original creations of one-offs, vintage models , prototypes never before shown.and designs by Stella McCartney, Yohji Yamamoto, Parley for the oceans and many others.

The brand with three stripes.

The whole history of Adidas shoes until today.

100 years ago the Dassler brothers, Adolf (“Adi”) and Rudolf Dassler created their first pair of shoes. Hundreds of revolutionary models, epic moments and prestigious collaborations later, this book presents the first assessment in images of Adidas shoes , through more than 350 models , some unpublished and original creations .

To continue their development and tailor his products to the specific needs of athletes, Dassler asked them to return their shoes to him after using them, and all the shoes eventually ended up in his attic (many athletes still return their shoes today. to Adidas, as a thank you for winning a title or breaking a record). This collection is now the Adidas archive , one of the largest, if not the largest collection of any sports equipment manufacturer — which photographers Christian Habermeier and Sebastian Jäfer have documented in great detail for many years. years.

Using the best reproduction techniques, these images reveal the finest details as well as stains, tears, repairs, traces of grass, autographs faded by time. Everything is there, immutable and photographed in very high resolution — and, through the images, it is the personal stories of each of the people who have worn these shoes that are brought to light. We find the shoes worn by the West German football team during the "miraculous" World Cup in 1954 and those worn by Kathrine Switzer during the Boston Marathon in 1967, before women were officially allowed. to participate; of collaborations with stars likeMadonna, Raf Simons, Stella McCartney, Parley for the Oceans or Yohji Yamamoto ; as well as the brand's innovative techniques and materials, such as its pioneering use of plastic waste which is spared at beaches and coastal populations.

Accompanied by a preface by designer Jacques Chassaing and texts from experts, each image explains the why and how , but also expresses the power of Adidas. What we discover goes beyond pure design — in the end, they are just shoes worn by those who loved them — they are also the first witnesses of our sports, of design and of our cultural history, of beginnings of the Dassler brothers and the creation of Adidas to the present day.

Concept and photography by:

Christian Habermeier has worked as a photographer and designer since 1989. He taught photography and digital illustration from 2000 to 2006 and also has his own projects in Cuba, Kenya, Nepal, India, Switzerland and Hong Kong. In 2000, he founded the waldeck photographers studio, which enabled him to realize, in 2013, the dream of a CO2 neutral studio.

Sebastian Jäger studied design at the Georg-Simon-Ohm University of Applied Sciences in Nuremberg, where he met Christian Habermeier, former professor, in 2005. Their studio, waldeck photographers, serves clients in industry and the cultural sector. Since 2011, they have been viewing the historical archives of adidas.

The adidas Archive. The Footwear Collection.

Christian Habermeier , Sebastian Jäger.

Hardcover, 31.8 x 29.6 cm, 5.63 kg, 644 pages.

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