“Impossible is nothing” sounds audacious—until the seemingly impossible actually turn to reality. On May 29 during the 3rd game of the Brooklyn Nets vs. Boston Celtics series for the first round of the NBA Playoffs, James Harden stepped out of the court donned in his usual Adidas shoes. But what’s different this time around is the striking colorway for his latest basketball shoes, the Harden Volume 5. The shoes were beaming in yellow, red, and blue—something that we Filipinos are all too familiar with and to be proud of. Designed by renowned artist and toy designer, Juanito “Quiccs” Maiquez, the Adidas Harden Vol 5 “Manila Heritage” made its debut on the NBA court worn by James Harden himself.
“It was highly unexpected. Nobody told us that he would wear them for that game. My sister and I were watching the live game, and we would pause, play, and rewind to be able to screenshot some moments where the shoes can be seen clearly,” Quiccs said. The collaboration marks the first ever sneaker collaboration by Adidas with a Filipino designer on a sneaker design—and on their flagship basketball shoe at that.
For Quiccs, this was a dream come true in more ways than one. His affinity for the brand began way before the thought of this collaboration even formed. One of his earliest and strongest influences came from the hiphop community. “The Adidas Superstars were the shoe of choice by rappers and hiphop artists then. It was chunky, simple, and the iconic three stripes are striking. Years later, it stood the test of time. The silhouette is still very much relevant.”
This love for the brand and the iconic shoe is also reflected to his toy design. In fact, the first toy character he created, TEQ63, donned the Adidas Superstars, and so did many of his succeeding toys. Years later, that same adoration for the brand, coupled with his artistry and hard work, led to him being signed as an Adidas Creator. He first discussed with us the partnership last February 2020 in this Prologue podcast episode (you may learn more about his background through the episode). Fast forward to June 12, 2021, his first Adidas sneakers, the Harden Vol 5 “Manila Heritage” was officially launched.
The design is a direct nod to the Filipino heritage—all while representing Quiccs’ artistry that has captured toy collectors and fans alike, as well as incorporating elements that are uniquely Harden. The main colorway is striking, straightforwardly representing the Filipino flag with the use of red, blue, yellow, and white. The details are intricate and were given great thought and emphasis. Aside from the primary colorway, the +63 detail signifies our country code, three dots—a common sight on Quiccs’ toy designs—is a subtle way of representing the three stars of our national flag. The 06/26/19 emblazoned on the shoes is for commemorating Harden’s last visit in Manila. Of course, the shoes also dons the remarkable crossbones logo and the logo for Quiccs’ name. Lastly, the outsole also appears translucent to effectively show the Philippine-inspired Teq 63 graphic on the left and a Teq 63 graphic version of Harden on the right.
Images — Marvin Conanan
Truly, the Adidas Harden Vol 5 “Manila Heritage” is more than just sneakers; it’s something that truly lives up to the brand’s ethos of “Impossible is nothing.” Just as Quiccs made the impossible possible, let this new pair take you to greater heights—whether that’s in polished maple courts or makeshift courts or simply taking your stride. Made in the Philippines, made for the world.
And when we asked Quiccs what we should expect next, he gave a simple answer: bigger things. And looks like he’s about to go full circle as the next project might just be related to Adidas Originals as he takes one Adidas pillar at a time. Impossible truly is nothing.
The Adidas Harden Vol. 5 is available in select Adidas stores and Titan 22.
