adidas kicks off Superstar celebration

With the launch of www.adidas.com/superstar35 you will be taken on a ride through the Superstar's history that will bring you into the tribute year 2005.

To mark the 35th anniversary of the shell toe, adidas has given friends and fellow sneaker lovers from the music, art and fashion worlds the chance to create their own unique pair of Superstars, resulting in a 35-strong collection of shoes in celebration of one of the world's most recognizable and ubiquitous fashion items.

Surely not even the Superstar's creator Adi Dassler, upon its innocent introduction in 1969, could foresee it transcending its natural home of the basketball court to evolve into the cultural fixture and timeless icon it would later become.

Within a few years of its introduction it was being worn by over 75% of all NBA players, proof of its revolutionary technology which remains relevant today; over the course of the next few years it would advance from the court to the sidewalk and, consequently, further into the public's consciousness.

A key factor in establishing the Superstar as a mainstay on the global cultural and fashion platform came in 1986 when Run DMC recorded their tribute 'My Adidas' - as a result, hip-hop and adidas remain forever linked.

The Superstar has grown into one of the few true symbols which have the appeal to bridge cultures as effortlessly as they do the times. Not only is the shoe equally apt for hip-hop artists as it is for indie bands, it is a staple in all corners of the globe and has been prominent in every decade that is has been available.

Eagle-eyed sneaker enthusiasts may contest that celebrating the Superstar's 35th anniversary in 2005 would be incorrect as it was first spotted in 1969. That may be true, but it wasn't officially introduced to the public until 1970. It was born from another popular basketball shoe, the Supergrip, which was released in 1960, and gradual changes and improvements saw it develop into the Superstar. Its first appearance in 1969, then, came on the feet of select players in test trials.

The first products of the SS35 anniversary collection will be available in stores at midnight on December 31st, 2004.