June 21, 2012
Adidas Cancels Jeremy Scott Ankle-Cuff Sneaker
Mark Thompson READ TIME: 1 MIN.
Adidas canceled plans for a sneaker with a shackle-like ankle cuff Monday night after some critics said it too closely resembled a symbol of slavery.
The JS Roundhouse Mid, a high-top sneaker with an orange plastic cuff, was made in collaboration with fashion designer Jeremy Scott.
The sneaker "is nothing more than the designer Jeremy Scott's outrageous and unique take on fashion and has nothing to do with slavery," Adidas said in a statement. "Since the shoe debuted on our Facebook page ahead of its market release in August, Adidas has received both favorable and critical feedback. We apologize if people are offended by the design and we are withdrawing our plans to make them available in the marketplace."
The sneaker was supposed to be a reboot of a classic high-top sneaker with a strap across the middle. A preview was offered months ago and generated little chatter, but the company recently started promoting it on its Facebook page.
Scott is known as one of fashion's more outrageous characters. Adidas said he is heralded for a style that is "quirky and lighthearted."
The Roundhouse Mid was inspired by a furry toy called My Pet Monster. "My work has always been inspired by cartoons, toys & my childhood," Scott said in a statement emailed to The Associated Press.
Previous collaborations between Scott and Adidas include sneakers with Mickey Mouse and panda bear themes.
A long-term New Yorker and a member of New York Travel Writers Association, Mark Thompson has also lived in San Francisco, Boston, Provincetown, D.C., Miami Beach and the south of France. The author of the novels WOLFCHILD and MY HAWAIIAN PENTHOUSE, he has a PhD in American Studies and is the recipient of fellowships at MacDowell, Yaddo, and Blue Mountain Center. His work has appeared in numerous publications.
