From street cred to culture theft: Is Adidas cashing in on culture?

I’m a self-confessed Adidas fan. Their apparel has always stood out: cool, edgy, and rooted in everyday culture. Growing up in Southall in the ’90s, the Adidas tracksuit was the uniform of the street. And when it comes to trainers, Adidas is still my go-to. I have to say in recent years, they’ve consistently delivered.

I’m clearly not alone. In March, Adidas reported an impressive 11% year-on-year global growth, reaffirming its position as a leader in both performance and lifestyle footwear. Not even Rishi Sunak’s infamous adoption of the Adidas Sambas could slow their momentum.

According to trend intelligence platform Kickwire, the brand has successfully balanced heritage and innovation, much of it down to a return to timeless design and bold cultural collaborations.

It’s working. Data from analytics firm GlobalData suggests Adidas is now poised to steal market share from US giants like Nike. As apparel analyst Tom Ljubojevic puts it: “Brands that can react quickly to trends and offer good value for money have the opportunity to gain market share.”

So far, so good. But perhaps things are moving too fast.

This week, Adidas Originals came under fire for a shoe designed in collaboration with US fashion designer Willy Chavarria. The Oaxaca Slip-On, inspired by traditional Mexican huaraches, was publicly criticised for cultural appropriation. The design was reportedly produced in China without consultation or credit to the Indigenous communities that originated it, even prompting a response from the Mexican president.

It’s not the first time a major brand has misstepped. We recently wrote about Prada's controversial use of the Indian chappal design. And let’s not forget the time Adidas were accused of appropriating Moroccan culture in 2022, or the recent Bella Hadid-related incident last year. 

So what’s going on? The reality is that brands today are under pressure to move fast and stay fresh. But in the race for relevance, some are losing sight of the bigger picture: understanding and respecting the roots of their inspiration.

We’ve long highlighted the importance of cultural symbolism and awareness, not just for ethical reasons, but because brands that fail to engage meaningfully risk alienating the very audiences they aim to connect with.

The solution is two-fold:

1. Do your homework. Know where your ideas come from, and involve the right people, especially those from the communities you're drawing inspiration from. They deserve to be seen, platformed and talked about. Authenticity can’t be outsourced.

2. If you mess up, own it. Apologise sincerely, act fast, and most importantly, adjust your processes to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

   
   

Adidas and Willy Chavarria have issued an apology but our question is how many times can one brand keep making the same mistake? Or is it just that they don’t really care?