In the world of fashion, people often say that trends come and go. But this does not fully capture the cycle of inspiration and innovation that actually happens. More accurately, we take inspiration and references from what’s done in the past, modernize the design based on current trends, and apply new technologies to make it better. The perfect recipe for making products that embrace both form and function.
This convergence of inspiration from heritage and innovation from today’s advancing technology is what adidas has been so adept at doing. Arguably, they do it best. From the Gazelle to the Samba, Handball Spezial, and Campus. Now, there’s a new addition to the roster. This time taking inspiration from the running craze of the 70s — the SL 72.
Film photos are by Eric Bico featuring Filipino creatives who joined the exclusive atmos x adidas SL 72 community day. It was an afternoon of camaraderie over stories about the adidas SL 72 and Martin David’s trip to the adidas Headquarters in Germany. Creatives from different backgrounds from fashion, food, media, art and music came together to celebrate and get to deepen their love and knowledge about sneakers.
Created in 1972 with the original purpose of having a pair of shoes that was extremely light for runners to use for the 1972 Olympics, the adidas SL 72 was revolutionary. Contrary to the prevalent running shoes going around at that time that were purely made of leather, adidas founder Adi Dassler changed the material of the SL 72’s upper from leather to nylon which became the signature technology of the shoe. This redesign significantly cut its weight and became relevant to what the runners back then truly needed. Hence, it was aptly named SL 72; SL quite literally stands for Super Light.
This keen attention to detail on optimizing performance through adidas’ products is reflective of Adi Dassler’s passion of equipping athletes with the best possible gear. At its core, the brand really puts a keen focus on function. The striking form is an added bonus.
So much so that many of the iconic adidas products we use today have fascinating back stories. Take for instance the Samba. These were originally intended for use by the German National Football Team in snowy and icy pitches because the circular cup in its soles made gliding through the terrain smoother and made the players run faster — even giving the illusion that the players were dancing. Hence, the name Samba. Another fascinating footwear is their Adilette which was originally designed to be worn in the showers to avoid athletes from getting infected with fungus or whatnot.
Martin David of Sole Movement. This photo and all digital portraits
below are also by Eric Bico.
These stories are so crucial to the way adidas harnesses its rich archives and is key in how they have constantly captured and successfully catered to everyone’s yearning for retro. Martin David, founder of Sole Movement, experienced a walk down adidas’ memory lane when he visited the adidas HQ in Germany. “Going through everything we saw, it really made sense because he [Adi Dassler] really thought of what shoe to use when it’s snowing or what slide to wear when you’re in the shower,” he shared during the adidas Community Series last April 19 at atmos Philippines which celebrated the SL 72.
As the latest addition to Adidas’ lineup, the SL 72 could not have come at a more perfect time.
With the running craze blowing up in recent years, adidas going back to the SL 72 silhouette is the most obvious move. In addition to that, the past retro sneakers like the Samba, Gazelle, Campus, and Handball Spezial all had something in common: they’re lightweight and low-profile; classic and unassuming. Combining its running heritage and low-profile style, SL 72 answers to both the running community and style enthusiasts.
Looking at it from a bigger perspective, it’s interesting that the recent “it” sneakers have all been nods to the past. The resurgence of these iconic silhouettes is proof that the demand for retro will always be there. “I think there’s always space for retro. I mean, we’re now all wearing Sambas, Gazelles, and Campuses. Superstars even. There’s a reason why they’re coming back and why they’re popular because they’re very good shoes. When you talk about retro sneakers, there’s a bit of nostalgia tied to it. There’s also the way these sneakers make walking easier or running more comfortable,” Martin said.
Erika Yamaguchi of atmos Philippines echoes this sentiment. “The difference that I see now is people buy shoes for comfort. So if you have a retro that’s been innovated based on what the feedback was, — to make it comfier, lighter, and not straining on the feet — you get the look that is still retro but that’s so much better function-wise. So I think that’s why retro sneakers are really popular these days.”
“When pieces are done right, they live forever,” Martin quipped. And adidas Originals’ heritage sneaker designs are testament to this.
CREDITS
WRITER Tricia Quintero
PHOTOGRAPHER Eric Bico
EDITOR & LAYOUT Marvin Conanan
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