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2015, by any sort of standards, was a banner year for Adidas. From a business standpoint, sales boomed for the brand with the three stripes, while culturally, the label was more prevalent than ever with both discerning sneakerheads and the athleisure-loving masses. High-profile collaborations with Pharrell and Pusha T helped and Yeezy—an entire brand of sneakers and apparel built from the ground up alongside perhaps the most influential man in street fashion alive today—opened the company up to new fashion frontiers. But even without celebrities driving home the idea that Adidas is the "it" sneaker label of the moment, the brand's own products have reach new levels of awesomeness. The insanely cool and comfortable Ultra Boost, deemed by Adidas when it first debuted as "the greatest running sneaker of all-time," can actually make a legitimate claim for that title. Futurecraft, Adidas's new line of concept shoes, was responsible for the world's first running shoe with a usable 3-D printed sole.
But of course, Adidas's quest to be America's most beloved sportswear label (a title they're still a long way away from thanks to the ongoing popularity of Nike) is far from over. So, if 2015 was a great year for the label, 2016 is going to have to be even greater. And that starts with NMD, a new line of sneakers and apparel from Adidas Originals that is bringing the brand's premier technologies to new sneakers made with everyday living in mind.
The first sneaker from the collection looks, like many new Adidas products, to have been sent from the future. At first glance the $170 sneaker has a Primeknit, sock-like upper and a Boost sole, but look closer and you'll notice classic '80s-era Adidas design elements like colorblocked panels on the midsole. (It's impossible to know where you're going without remembering where you've been, right?) It's also incredibly lightweight. There's no question it stands out in the crowded sneaker field today, but why launch a brand new lineup now? And at a time when Futurecraft, Yeezy, and Ultra Boost are still making big waves in the industry? To find out, we went to the source of NMD's game-changing design, aka Nic Galway, Vice President of Global Design for Adidas Originals, to learn more:
UPDATE: The Adidas NMD will release via End Clothing on December 11 at 7PM EST.
What is NMD?
NMD is my opportunity to connect the past and the future. And to do it in a way that isn't just how the product looks, but how we live our lives. I talked a lot with the creative teams about how we all travel so much these days. When you are traveling all the time, you can only take so much with you. And the items you take have to have more meaning, culturally, and they also have to feel good. When I come to New York [from Germany], I take things with me I like personally, but are also comfortable.
Traveling actually is a great way to sort of figure out what things are really essential in ones wardrobe.
Yeah, and sometimes we carry things we don't need. But if you've ever worn Boost sneakers, you know that if you want to do anything in them, you can.
Why was it necessary to include Adidas's heritage in the NMD, rather than just make an entirely new shoe for the future?
We have this incredible history. And when I talk to people, they always reference our history and how it has affected culture. But if you stay stuck there, then it can become a limiting thing. But that archive has to always stay alive. And at Adidas, we have cutting edge innovation. There are design elements from shoes in the '80s that are just being adopted today, so it shows how cutting edge Adidas can be. It's my role as head of Originals to continue that legacy. So everything I do needs to be respectful of the past, but also continue that legacy. The products are new, but the past helps give them context.
In what specific ways does the NMD reference past Adidas sneakers?
I've always loved the ways the shoes in the mid '80s had this very colorful blocking on them. But it wasn't made as a graphic or anything like that, it was just how you made sneakers in the 1980s. And I guess there weren't many colors available of the foams used. But it became really iconic and recognizable as Adidas. So I wanted to use those elements but in a purposeful way on the launch model. But they do a job, they're not just decoration. They're providing stability alongside the responsiveness of the Boost. From a distance they look familiar, but up close are entirely new.
There are some NMD models coming out next spring with no laces at all. And a lot of people, including Kanye West, have been known to leave their Ultra Boost sneakers untied. Are laces obsolete?
I wouldn't say they're obsolete. I've worked with a lot of people who want to reinvent laces, but then you sort of go, like, "But laces are so intuitive. They work." Each generation tries to invent or create the future. But there are some things from the past that just work. So with a Primeknit shoe, yeah, you can wear them unlaced, but you can also cinch them down. I call it a dynamic fit so it sort of fits your foot.
__ Speaking of customized fit, what can you tell me about Futurecraft, specifically the 3-D printing elements of the sneakers?__
Futurecraft is showing our intent for the future. It goes much deeper than just the two shoes, the Superstar and 3D printed runner. I've always been given an opportunity to be pioneering. And I want to give that freedom to new designers. Don't just sit at a desk and draw [a sneaker]—think about how you could make it. What do those processes allow you to do that you couldn't do before? And you'll see those elements start to show up in Adidas products in the future. But it's a mindset, not just a product.
But will stores have 3-D printers in them to make customized shoes for people?
It's more a concept at the moment. When I first started at Adidas 16 years ago, we had guys downstairs with chisels, because you couldn't print them. Then printers used wax and powder. By today's standards, that's so dated. Every year, and every month, technology is changing. We got into 3-D printing very early. The thing is, you can 3-D print something that looks like a shoe very easily. But to make something you can actually wear and test and run in, it's very different. We're just making sure we're aligned with current technology. When the time is right, we will launch it on a wider scale.
Why did Adidas decide to release Yeezy sneakers in such a limited way, considering Kanye's rhetoric seemed to point in a more mass-market direction?
It wasn't a decision on limiting. It was on getting to know Kanye, and accelerating the process. We haven't known Kanye very long. I've known him for less than two years. He's incredibly hands on, but to bring a shoe to market usually takes a year and a half or two years. We actually launched the first Yeezy very quickly. But to get to know someone, and get to know their vision, and use technology, takes time. Kanye came to us with a clear vision, but he needed a partner who could empower his vision, and also bring innovation to the table, which he couldn't do himself. But when you look at the market, there are certain limitations to how much you can produce. It's not that we want to limit it, it's that the pace we're moving at with our relationship means there are certain limitations to how much we can produce. We would like to build that at the right speed. It's not about the traditional "let's keep it limited." It's about making products we're both proud of.
So it's more about building a brand from the ground up?
Yeah, and Yeezy isn't a brand taking shoes you already know and changing the colors. Every part of those shoes is new. And that takes time.
In the future, will there be Yeezy Boosts that are widely available?
There's not a purposeful plan in place to keep it super limited. It's more making sure we do it the right way. It's a challenge. But I have a huge respect for Kanye. He puts in so much effort. It would be so easy for Kanye to turn to me and ask me to design something. But he wants to be involved for every step. And I love his energy. And that means we have to evolve.
*The Adidas NMD sneaker releases via the Adidas Confirmed app and adidas.com/nmd on December 12th.