After initially defending its controversial sneakers, Adidas rightfully decided to cancel its plans to release the JS (Jeremy Scott) Roundhouse Mid shoe this week amid intense public criticism, saying “we apologize if people are offended by the design.” Set to release in August, the now infamous “slave shoes” were briefly marketed on the company’s Facebook page as “a sneaker game so hot you lock your kicks to your ankles.” The price tag that Adidas tacked on for helping its customers “tighten up [their] style” with chains and shackles? $350.Even then, Adidas recognized African Americans as a powerful economic force within the American fashion industry when few others did.This notch under Adidas’s historical belt is why it’s so disturbing to think that it allowed a symbol of enslavement to make its way through its approval pipeline. Cultural trust was betrayed when the company didn’t factor centuries of subjugation and alarming African American mass incarceration rates into its decision-making. Who does the company have sitting around its board room tables?
was this more of a sensible market driven decision or were they truly repentant for their lack of sensitivity?' i'm going with the former. these people aren't stupid they thought they would get away with if after those few thousand who would buy. i believe had it not been an issue in the media they may have made it work.
not sure what that says about my people, primarily our younger brother's. the younger generation seems removed from things of a slave nature not even sure it would have been connected by them or more so the system being the suppressor, giving them a false sense of rebellion, and protest, IMO those were more likely the thoughts of the Adidas brain trust.
our awareness of culture and past seems to not be as publicized as it could be. i've noticed that Feb. Black History Month is nowhere near as informative as before i was proud of stations showing unheard of before info about our people, now not so much and the sad part is where is the noise why aren't our leaders and ourselves questioning the absence of such a teaching vehicle for not only our children but many of us who have been deprived of this knowledge intentionally by those who wish to keep the self esteem low among my people. despicable them
