Dive Brief:
- After teasing the upcoming launch of a label fronted by Jenna Ortega, Adidas has unveiled its first new line in 50 years: Adidas Sportswear, the brand announced on Thursday.
- The label is launching with the Tiro Suit Collection of tracksuits, the Avryn shoe, the Express Dress, the Express Jersey and the Coach Jacket. The brand will launch the label online on Thursday, but early access opened up on the mobile app last week.
- Adidas has tapped new brand ambassador Ortega as the face of the label, but has also enlisted professional basketball player Trae Young, Women’s Super League forward Mary Fowler, Premier League current golden boot holder Son Heung-min and gamer Carolina Voltan to promote the new label.
Dive Insight:
After Adidas’ break with Kanye West, also known as Ye, the brand is looking for new stars to promote its products. In October, the brand ended its partnership with the rapper and fashion designer following his antisemitic statements, a move that the company estimated would cost it 250 million euros (approximately $246.5 million at the time).
The crisis not only cost the company millions of dollars and threatened its reputation among consumers, but also left Adidas with a difficult choice around what to do with its Yeezy product designs. The company in November said it owned the IP rights to the line and would sell products without the Yeezy name attached, but some analysts cautioned against that approach.
With the loss of a major brand ambassador, Adidas has an opportunity to bring in some new faces to its roster, including Ortega. As part of the Adidas Sportswear launch, Ortega will also star in the brand’s “All That You Are” campaign to promote the line.
“Expertly blending sport silhouettes with fresh detailing, Adidas Sportswear brings together Adidas’ latest performance technologies and comfort-first looks to elevate the wearers’ everyday style,” Senior Designer of Adidas Sportswear Jasmin Bynoe said in a statement. “Offering a range of pieces that can be used as a blank canvas for each wearer to pair and style as they see fit, we paid close attention to incorporating specific cutlines, colourways and stripped back design details, so that the collection works no matter what the wearer’s day looks like.”
Last week, Adidas also lost its global head of marketing, Vicky Free, Adweek reported.
