SYLVANUS URBAN Sylvanus Urban - "The Energy Issue " | Page 60

Sole Proprietor
HOW ADIDAS SENT ITS CULTURAL VALUE SKY HIGH
Author: Matthew Wong Illustrator: Tom Ralston
The sole is the foundation
of any shoe. It is this little sliver
of rubber that defends your foot
from the earth every time you
run, jump, lunge, amble, dash and
wait in line for the next Supreme
drop.
Poorly designed shoes
can cause a litany of problems,
from back pain to muscle
spasms, and at its worst *gasp*
low Instagram engagement. But
bottomless marketing budgets,
comprehensive research and
development,
and
megastar
collaborations have brought the
sole from underfoot to centre
stage.
Adidas
kick-started
the
cushion revolution in 2013 with
what the world now knows as
Boost technology, although the
top-tier sole tech was originally
developed in 2007 by the world’s
largest
chemical
producer,
Badische Anilin & Soda-Fabrik
(BASF).
The company had
developed
little
cushioned
pebbles which, despite the
impressive elasticity and memory
of the proprietary compound,
BASF had absolutely no use for.
That is until they gave a call to
their fellow German colleagues at
Adidas where it was discovered
that the easy, squeezy pellets
(pardon the technical jargon)
could work in unison to create a
pillowy sneaker sole. Its abilities
were greater than the sum of its
parts. The technological wizardry
of this new sole was described
to the energy starved masses
as “energy return.” The promise:
cover more ground, with the
same amount of effort. Not only
did these shoes make you feel
like you were walking on clouds,
but it also felt like those clouds
were supercharged with human
growth hormones.
Although originally targeting
runners, the sneakers were propelled from their performance enhancing athletic roots to cult-like
status with a little help from a tour de force known as Kanye West. The
launch of the Yeezy Boost 750 catapulted Adidas into the hearts and
closets of hypebeasts globally. Now, not only would Boost tech help
you achieve a new personal record on your morning 5k run, they could
easily bounce you to the front of the line at an overpriced fusion brunch.
The Boost had found its stride - being worn by both work out junkies
and fashion enthusiasts alike. Whatever your activity of choice, Boost
endowed frenzied consumers with the idea they could do more.
In 2017, the swoosh cooked up a foam that has risen to meet our
physical and social demands too, fittingly named React. (Although some
industry insiders would argue that they arrived to the game late.) The
two biggest players in the game doubled down, betting on our need to
be on our feet - to have that extra bit of drive, to do more, and to do it
faster. With an extra bounce in their step, everyone from sneakerheads to
athletes are getting it done at record speed.
While just how much pep it adds to your step is debatable it’s no
wonder that an efficiency-enhancing sneaker is fueling its own market.
Think about how we live. Things move fast. Everything we do today
is done with a Usain Bolt mentality. The gig economy has us sprinting
from one job to another as if our career is an episode of the Amazing
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With an extra bounce in their step, everyone
from sneakerheads to athletes are getting it
done at record speed. "
Race. Vacations are more about cramming in as many Instagram shots as
possible and less about genuine discovery. And unlike the classic tale of
the tortoise and the hare, we’re being taught that speed will always win.
Speed has become a survival tool to navigate this frantic interconnected
world. Wearing a pair of shoes that merely gives off the impression of
an uptick in acceleration and stamina is enough for so many of us to
continually race against FOMO.
With big brands investing big bucks into research and development, it
feels like we might not be that far off from owning shoes that legitimately
replenish our energy reserves. Adidas is already ushering in a new era
of sports performance design with their award-winning Futurecraft 4D
technology – a revolutionary process of 3D printing with liquid polymer -
to create speed enhancing midsoles that look more modern art than solid
shoe foundation. An innovation that could make the once groundbreaking
Boost technology obsolete. With industry giants like Nike constantly
nipping at their heels, Adidas executives might need to harness their own
“energy return” tech to keep the momentum.
But ultimately travelling at breakneck speed shouldn’t always be the
end goal. And if owning the next iteration of sneakers means living your
life as if it’s a Bugatti in fifth gear, just make sure you have a couple of
Converse to slip into when life gets too chaotic.
The Energy Issue
S y l v a n u s - Ur b a n . c o m