Adidas with Kanye, Pharrell Williams, and Kylie Jenner. Nike with Michael Jordan, Virgil Abloh, and Travis Scott. Selena Gomez and Rhianna with Puma. It was just a matter of time for Queen B to join the sneakers scene. And this time has arrived! Partnerships are the new “Norm” in the sneaker industry. And one that got the music, fashion, and sneakers communities talking is the Adidas Beyonce partnership.
On April 4th, 2019 The Brand with The Three Stripes announced that Queen B will be joining their family as a ‘creative partner’.
“This is the partnership of a lifetime for me,” Beyoncé said commenting on the freshly-inked deal. “Adidas has had tremendous success in pushing creative boundaries. We share a philosophy that puts creativity, growth and social responsibility at the forefront of the business.”
As a new creative partner to Adidas, Beyoncé will co-create a wide range of sportswear including performance and lifestyle pieces. In addition, the multi-layered Adidas Beyonce partnership will relaunch the “Ivy Park” brand with the backing of Adidas. “I look forward to re-launching and expanding Ivy Park on a truly global scale with a proven, dynamic leader” Beyonce commented. The pop star will retain ownership of athleisure brand Ivy Park, which she launched alongside Topshop in 2016.
An important note, Beyonce acquired full ownership of Ivy Park in 2018, after Sir Philip Green, Topshop’s owner was accused of racial abuse and sexual harassment.
Update 12/20/2019
Beyonce recently revealed the first look at the new Adidas x Beyonce collaboration apparel and footwear line on her Instagram page! The line includes a bodysuit, leather Adidas sneakers and some items of jewelry. The line drops on January 18th, 2020 after it was first announced back in April.
In an interview with ELLE magazine, Bey announced that the line will be gender-neutral to further widen IVY PARK’s audience and remove gender boundaries! Beyonce stated that ” This new line is fun and lends itself to creativity, the ultimate power. I focused on designing a unisex collection of footwear and apparel because I saw so many men in IVY PARK.”, and you can tell from her IG that it’s true!
We can’t wait for this line to drop! So, stay tuned for more updates in 2020 fam!
Significance of The Adidas Beyonce Partnership
This joining of forces is not only about sneakers and athletic wear. After all, Beyonce is not like any artist, and Adidas is not like any sportswear brand. If anything, this Adidas Beyonce partnership will definitely be game-changing on the levels of creativity, inspiration, quality, and empowerment.
“As the creator sports brand, Adidas challenges the status quo and pushes the limits of creativity through its open-source approach. Beyoncé is an iconic creator but also a proven business leader, and together, we have the ability to inspire change and empower the next generation of creators,” Eric Liedtke also stated in welcoming Beyonce to family.
I love You, You Love Me, We’re a Happy Family!
But why did Beyonce partner up with Adidas and not Puma?
We know that Beyoncé’s husband, JAY-Z, works as creative director for Puma Basketball. And his Roc Nation label and sports agency also have a long-term partnership with the brand. So why choose Adidas?
From Beyonce’s side, it could’ve been the money or the fact that her own bran Ivy Park needed the support and technology Adidas can offer.
Working with a Brand as big as Adidas can take her brand to the next level. This partnership also gives Queen B a great push into the world of sneakers. One of the very few worlds she hasn’t ruled. Yet!
From Adidas’ point of view, Signing with Beyonce means getting two rivals in politics and music, under the same roof.
While that could make a fuss if Kanye and Beyonce actually meet in Adidas HQ, it’s a great way for the brand to expand its reach and fan base.
Among the many things, Beyonce and her husband’s Ex-best friend Kanye don’t see eye to eye on is politics. And with the 2020 presidential elections drawing near, it only makes sense that Adidas tries to balance out Kanye’s political preferences. West, who’s known for his admiration of President Trump and who we’ve seen in that MAGA hat, sits on the opposite political pole of Beyoncé. Who BTW is with her husband real close with Barack and Michelle Obama.
That’s without mentioning Queen B’s longstanding clash with Kanye West’s wife, Kim Kardashian.
So it’s quite smart for Adidas to cater for all parties during this politically tense time in the US. The only question now, would Beyonce’s apparent political preferences impact her collection’s hype, the way Yeezys are hurt every time Kanye shares an extreme piece of his mind?
New Yeezy Coming Soon!
Speaking of Kanye, ? The all-new all-black Yeezy Boost 350 V2 is dropping soon. And with the incredible hype over this version, we think you should start setting up your sneaker bot ASAP! And if you don’t already have one, check out AIO Bot, it has a very impressive success rate on Yeezy releases.
