Fire up the Quattro-It’s ‘The Dassler’ number 4!
The Dassler: Number 4. Read on for enough 3 stripe goodness to satisfy the most obsessive adidas fanatic.
May the forth, edition of The Dassler, be with you…the bi-monthly magazine especially written for (& by) adidas lovers.
If this is your first visit then we’d highly recommend you run over to the very beginning (obvs wearing a pair of A-ZX collection runners ) the first edition here , to our equally as-good-if-not-better second edition here and to the very obviously three-striped third edition here.
This is the forth in a twice monthly newsletter, that will contain ultra rare deadstock trainers, shared by legendary adidas collector Bobby Mac, new adidas releases & brand exclusive information from 3 stripe social media giant Craig (@adifamily_ ), adidas oddments & apparel reminiscences written by Woody (@dadidassler) plus loads of articles from special guest writers and we have some absolute adidas legends as guest writers lined up!
Why The Dassler? Obviously this newsletter is written for 3 stripe lovers (like ourselves!) and will contain as much adidas goodness as we can stuff in. The name of our newsletter is a homage to adidas founder Adolf (Adi) Dassler and an obvious reference to his dazzling adidas trainers (sneakers for our stateside readers).
This issue is the last of our free-to-read editions and we are hoping that you will see how much effort we put into this newsletter to consider subscribing for the full edition, for way less than a cup of coffee per month or even cheaper if you subscribe for the year. After this only small extracts will be available for free, with the full newsletter only being available to paid subscribers.
If you take out a paid subscription between now and the end of May then you will receive ‘The adidas annual’ a specially designed hard back book cataloguing a curated version of this years adidas trainer/sneaker releases at a highly reduced rate (around £15ish quid discount)-but more on that very soon.
Bobby Mac…talks TRX!
TRX.. When we hear this model name, most of us picture a blue and yellow runner but there are many variations of TRX.
In 1976 Adi Dassler and his design team had produced a number of prototypes and in 1977 the classic TRX were launched.
With its high visibility, acid yellow, stripes and heel tab against the royal blue backdrop, its comfortable groove midsole and suction cup outsole. It was an instant hit with road runners and casual joggers alike, so much so this version was produced in West Germany, Yugoslavia and Austria; up until the mid 1980s and then again in the 1990s in Croatia and Indonesia. Initially the mens’ version was blue and yellow and the women’s version was a beautiful orange and yellow colourway, the 1998 release saw both of these colourways available to both men and women.
As I packed my bag for my trip to Herzo (adidas HQ in Germany) in 2016 I wanted to take something special to wear for my visit to the Archive, this might sound daft to some of you but they had to be a pair that Adi worked on so I chose my Austrian TRX, one of the last shoes that the man himself worked on before he passed away in 1978.
Over the years I have managed to collect some of the many variations of vintage TRX and here are ten of them, enjoy..
1. TRX - Austria - 1977
As seen in the 1980 film McVicar, this was the first version of TRX and for me, the best
2. TRX Competition - Yugoslavia- 1982
This extremely rare version was produced in Brazil in 1980, usually seen in white / light grey with royal blue stripes, this navy and white version is the only known pair.
3. TRX Kid made in Taiwan - 1982
As the name suggests, this version was introduced into the market as a child’s shoe, they were available in a number of colourways, very similar to both Orion and Orbit and they share the same outsole as Samoa, Reliance and AS500.
The shoe was also marketed as TRX Junior.
4. TRX Competition - made in Yugoslavia - 1982
This is a lighter version of TRX Competition S, the red flash at the front of the midsole is a lovely touch, for such a small thing I think it adds to the look of the shoe massively. I have a pair of light grey and silver Atlanta and without the same red flash they’d be a pretty plane looking runner. More recently SPZL used a layer of red on the midsole of the Marathon 86 and it changed the look of the shoe for the better.
5. TRX Racer - made in Austria - 1984
This model shares the same midsole as TRX Runner and TRX Spezial as well as other non-TRX models such as Goteborg and Manhattan, there are only two known pairs that I’m aware of making this a very rare pair.
6. TRX Runner - made in Yugoslavia - 1985
I swapped an equally rare pair with my friend in Germany for these, many years ago he told me a saying about swapping, he said
“When we are swapping trainers, we should have a tear in our eye and a smile on our face”
That way both people are getting a fair swap, it stuck with me and it makes sense..
This beautiful version of TRX are very unique, built on the L.A Trainer sole unit in a stunning shade of teal blue, they are the only known pair. I don’t wear much of my vintage stuff but if these were bigger they would definitely be worn..
7. TRX Runner - made in Taiwan - 1985
Very little is known about this version of TRX, again it’s the only known pair and it’s not in any of my vintage product catalogues which makes me think that they were probably made exclusively for the Taiwanese market, they are extremely lightweight ,yet well built.
8. TRX Training - made in West Germany - 1985
This nice looking model was produced for both running and training hence the name, I have seen a lot of these over the years and some of the midsoles have crumbled and some are as strong as the day they were made.
9. TRX Runner - made in South Africa - 1985
Another shoe with the same name! Another rare pair, to my knowledge just two pairs of these exist, simple enough with regards to the design although I haven’t seen another runner with that toe box before, this shoe shares the same outsole as the legendary New York.
10. TRX Runner White - made in South Africa - 1987
This model was first produced in 1984 in a more subtle navy and grey colourway, but feast your eyes on what was being produced and worn in South Africa! The colourway used on this runner blows my mind every time I see them.. I have an original 1987 South African catalogue and some of the shoe descriptions mention the use of Springbok and Antelope leather and suede, for me this just adds so much more, white, light grey, turquoise, teal, red, purple, navy, black… very rare and very beautiful.
The above image was taken on New Year’s Day in 1980 on a frozen Kenilworth Road football pitch, Luton Town v Chelsea it finished 3-3.
The Luton players wore TRX to help with traction on tye slippery surface, traction being the word that first inspired the model name, T-R-X.
The third adidas Spezial apparel capsule AW15-a revisit.
As last edition’s rundown of the first spezial apparel drop (here), the second (here) and the third (here)went down so well I’d though I’d carry on with a review of the forth Spezial apparel capsule S/S 16 (Spring/Summer). Launched in two drops in March and May 2016 and with a launch show in the`Hip Store’ in Leeds.
Vive Le Spezial! Thia capsule was influenced by France and the part it played in the development of adidas brand history and featured eleven pieces of apparel and it’s first accessory. The Spezial team took inspiration from the French Rivera, the iconic coastline on the country’s southeastern edge, channeling the style of the Côte d’Azure in clothing that mirrored the beach/fishing style of the location. They team again partnered with &SON to create the promotional film, which was set in the city of Marseille and its idyllic coastline.
“With SpeziaI we set out to create something that has a very strong adidas brand identity. I believe the foundations of identity come from our roots and background, and for adidas those roots are essentially European. For the first couple of seasons all my reference points centered around Germany and Austria, but for this season I wanted to go beyond that. I wanted acknowledge the fact that France also played a key role in the formulation of the adidas aesthetic.”
Gary Aspden interview with Complex Sneakers 2016
Beckenbauer Tracksuit
The Beckenbauer tracksuit was again showcased in a more-or-less remake of the 2014 AW version but this time in a more lightweight summer fabric and with the zips removed from the side of the legs.
Harwood Anorak
The Harwood (named after Great Harwood near Blackburn) Anorak achieves the perfect balance by matching the look of a French yachtsmen with mid-80s football fans. The jacket was created using adidas Climastorm fabric, equally adept on the yacht or at the footy.
Mellor Reversable Blouson
A personal favourite of mine the reversible Mellor (obvs a Village near Blackburn)jacket is an expanded and improved version of the AW15 spzl drops West German Blouson. Giving the wearer two very distinctive styles and the Spzl Spring/Summer graphic or the Spezial adidas badge.
Chilcott Smock and shorts
The above vintage ‘Made in France’ yellow pullover trackie-top became the inspiration for the Chilcott smock. The spezial team retained the funnel neck of the original but removed the zip fastening. Sticking to the nautical theme of the drop, the Chilcott smock was deliberately made oversized, the design having been influenced by a French fisherman's smock, while the shorts shared the same fabric and an equally generous fit.
Box Logo and Summer Mod Trefoil Tees
Two graphic tees were released for SS16, one bearing a navy blue adidas Spezial Box Logo applied in flock, the other being the tee seen on Carlos Ruiz in the 'Sole Searching in South America 2' film. It featured the Spezial Mod Trefoil in Argentina blue, this was the first season the Gary Watson designed Spring/Summer graphic had been used.
Lytham Sweat
The Lytham sweatshirt was inspired by the vintage adidas sweatshirt pictured above, despite the 'New York' graphic it was in fact made in France. It sparked the initial idea for the Lytham sweat and the trackie top. Its design also reflected the traditional French ‘Breton’ top , featuring a large spezial logo.
Lytham Tracksuit
The gallic horizontal stripes also appeared on the Lytham tracksuit jacket with the Spezial ‘Summer’ Mod Trefoil featured on the chest and the matching bottoms, a reworked dark-blue version of the Settend spzl trackie bottoms.
Shadsworth Polo
Named after the area of Blackburn where the Settend nightclub was located, the Shadsworth polo featured a recurring reference point used throughout previous Spezial capsules , the adidas Freizeit collar. The archive 1970’s polo shirt in the image above had a 'tea bag' style of fabric with tipping on the collar and sleeves and acted as the inspirational template for the SS16 Shadsworth polo shirt.
SP Archive Bag
The Spring/Summer 16 Spezial capsule saw a first with the introduction of an adidas Spezial accessory, a holdall. This team bag was inspired by several late 70s/early 80s adidas sports bags and is finished off with large adidas Spezial Box Logo.
My Adidas 'Top 10'-Del Cleveland (@delcleveland66)
First things first, I'm honoured to be asked to contribute to ‘The Dassler’ so thank you for asking me!
If you haven’t already you need to subscribe to this as I think its going to be big with 3 really knowledgeable Fella’s in their own fields.
Brief bit about me, 57 next month from London, don't have a whacky Instagram name I just use mine with the year I was born.
First pair I had in late 70s were adidas kick as were everybody else's my age I would imagine, then a pair of Samba.
First pair I actually brought with my first proper wage packet were a pair of lime green gazelles when I was 17.
Always loved trainers & shoes and always have had a few pairs. In the 90s started a family so couldn't always get what I wanted as I had other priorities and commitments. Also, I'm an enthusiast I really don’t see myself as a collector...
Now my 5 kids have all grown up it’s a little bit easier. Started getting really into it in 2014 after a lifesaving operation and haven't looked back since.
I was off work nearly 5 months convalescing so had plenty of time to look and add to my 30 or so pairs.
The launch of the Spezial in that year got me more interested as it was something new and revamped at the same time.
I also have a wife who loves her adidas and has a great collection too so no moaning when the postman brings another pair.
For me ZX’s the Runners are my favourites and I do love anything SPZL! Stan smiths, Gazelles and Shell Toes are all time classics among others which have been covered as Digger did in the last issue (great read by the way mate) so I thought I would leave those shoes out of my list.
My Top Ten isn't my all-time favourites or the best or most expensive it’s the ten I like today, tomorrow it may change again, I would imagine as it's like asking someone to name their 10 best albums of all time! It changes like the wind, well does for me anyway!
So, here is my Top Ten in the order I took the pics, a little bit of everything but maybe not for everyone! That’s what’s good about adidas.
1 Winterhill SPZL
Winterhill SPZL from over the past few years, for me bulletproof and water-resistant I couldn't decide which colour to show so here's all 3.
Named after a landmark in Lancashire and a great outdoors shoe. Normally wear these when out on a Sunday with the Grankids.
2 Pulsebeat SPZL
Pulsebeat SPZL x Peter Saville, although I'm a Brentford Fan not Manchester united you can't get away with how nice these are and look quality on your foot.
Bringing Football & Music together with the Joy Divisions Unknown Pleasures album cover on the tongue of the shoe.
Although I've always said I'm not a black trainer sort of feller I didn't realise how many black trainers I own until I was looking through for this article.
3 Liam Gallagher x LG2 SPZL
LG2 SPZL definitely one of my favourite trainers I own not only I love the silhouette I love anything Oasis/Liam & Noel. These were based on the Barrington Smash and Liam was involved with the making of the shoe he also appears on the tongue. Although the LG1s 1's I haven't worn yet. these I have a few times.
4 Silverbirch SPZL
Brooksy's Silverbirch SPZL is one of my all-time favourite's runners I would go as far to say my favourite to date, there are a few close seconds but for me these are up there. From spring Summer 2019 this design was inspired by the adidas Denver and a lovely looking shoe and great colour. those who don't know Brooksy's he is a renowned adidas collector and on the few occasions I have meet him he is a nice Fella too!
5 London
Adidas London's another shoe that's up there for me not only named after one of the best cities in the world it’s the city I come from its also a great looking shoe in a vibrant red (love a red trainer). Part of the city series in the 1970s and a common reissue in 2008 these returned in 2019 with other colours available. Mine are from 2019 wasn’t lucky enough to get the earlier releases.
6 Forest Hills
Forest Hills the iconic tennis shoe and a must have for the Casual back in the 1980s. These are a remake and I believe that only a few hundred were made back in the 80s and Wade Smith of Liverpool probably had them all. Great trainer and colour. The trainer heavily featured in Pat Holden’s ‘Awaydays’ from 2009, a British film about Casual Culture
7 ZX 8000 "BAPE x Undefeated
Bape “A Bathing Ape” First Camo Print (Love a bit of Camo) Part of the A-ZX range, Lovely shoe, I only have the black camo but a green camo was produced too.
8 Adidas X Hey Tea ZX 7000
Again part of the A-ZX range, these are proper lary which I love. I know not for everyone however on foot they look really nice. I love a ZX or Runner at my age flats are ok but after walking about a while you need a bit of cushion. I have most of the A-ZX range but for me at this moment in time the two I have listed are my favourites.
9 Adidas Koln
Koln remaining all-but identical to the 1979 OG these are part of the adidas City Series my ones are the reissue, love the blue on these.
10 Handball Spezials XXMM
Handball Spezial Size? Store Exclusive Anniversary City Series 10/20. The design celebrates all 12 shoes and the 12 cities that were used to celebrate the anniversary of the first Size? Store opening. You get 12 different colour laces with the box from all of the last (size? Exclusive) City Series.
Craig (@adifamily_) reviews adidas new releases for the rest of March 2023.
For Craig’s take on February’s adidas releases take a look here and here. For his review of early March new adidas go here.
The start of March has been a steady one, we are in a golden age and have been for a couple of years, one that will be looked back at in a completely different light to how we are experiencing it. Appreciate the good times while they're happening, for nothing in life is definite, and right now walking into a store or looking on a website, the selection and variety is amazing, something that shouldn't be taken for granted.
The Samba, a trainer so iconic and instantly recognisable by huge amounts of the world's population, is seeing a current resurgence, headed by various iterations being designed and released by adidas and collaborative efforts. One of these iterations hit the adidas website at the end of last month, they seem to be hitting the right vibes for a lot of people. adidas recognise the Samba as a 'clean' trainer, smart and sleek they wanted to expand on this as much as they could, so opted to use the 'stitch and turn' method to produce the cleanest Samba of all time, and upgraded them to premium specs across the board to boot.
These premium Sambas are available in a handful of colourways currently, chosen again for the 'clean' look, nice neutral tonal colours adorn a shoe with no stitching visible while almost looking futuristic. The sole and tooling is intended for indoor football use, what the Samba was created for, but has been adopted into streetwear due to it's look, durability and comfort for decades, leading it to be such a staple amongst folks from all walks of life. I personally feel, along with the Superstar, Gazelle and Stan Smith that the Samba completes the top 4 of most recognisable 'Classic' adidas trainers. It isn't just lads who go down the football or the ravers in a field, it isn't just for athletes wearing them in competition or popstars in music videos. It's all of them and many, many more who have come across and owned a pair of Samba.
They're truly special, I'm incredibly happy they're hitting a peak currently, they deserved to be worn and loved by millions, they're that good, the design is that good. With these launching adidas are acknowledging what people think about the trainer, taking that into mind when they look at designing them and bringing that to the market. The entire upper of the trainer consists of what is described as 'butter soft' leather, it is premium specification, top of the line. While there has been a few recent Samba releases, with more to come, these definitely needed highlighting.
As I've mentioned in a previous issue, the adidas × Gucci collaboration has led to the Gazelle Indoor being a currently on trend silhouette in the mainstream, something that adidas are taking full advantage of, with plenty of iterations launched, and some more planned. One of these iterations is a fluffy suede finish, at the end of last year, start of this year, there were a couple of pairs released with this finish, but due to them being bright summer colourways they didn't garner much interest at the the time, the premium versions at £120 RRP definitely caught peoples attention while these are cheaper than the normal RRP, which led to them not getting noticed as much.
Well another bright colourway has launched, and while the weather isn't looking great for wearing suedes this last week or two, surely close to sunnier days ahead soon enough, and so these are proving quite popular. With the aesthetics of the Gucci collaboration in mind, bright colours are the aim and these do not disappoint in that regard. Mint green, flash orange stripes and heel counter, they'll turn heads, catch the eye when being worn. There will be more Gazelle Indoor as the year goes on. But for now, these are definitely the pair of choice.
Last year saw the return of a classic, the adidas Adimatic. A pure skate shoe, massive fat stripes often combined with massive fat laces, they scream 1990s retro and were huge in Japan. They are now huge again, not only in Japan but have sold well around the globe with several general release pairs, choice of colourways, availability has proved a problem and they've been getting picked up off the shelf and purchased by many from every walk of life.
Leading of course to a collaboration, a retailer or another brand wants to put their name on a trainer is always a good thing for adidas, but a regular collaboration has been between adidas, Bodega and Beams and they've teamed up again for this model. Bodega is a Boston based retailer in the USA, while Beams are a Japanese based streetwear brand, so this is a truly global effort. Using simple shades, a cream suede upper sits atop a white sole, with green suede stripes, with the laces eyestays actually penetrating through the stripes. White laces was the choice, with green and white branding was placed upon the tongue, there is always branding embroidered to the heel, complete with joint branded insoles. Not the usual pair to grace The Dassler, but one we wanted to highlight nonetheless, great design should always be celebrated
Finally this fortnight, the Consortium Cup came to an end and both winners of the Semi-Finals, the 'Running round', was just superb.
Offspring throughout used London as the base of their inspiration, and with their ZX8000 entry, went with Portland Stone, used to build many iconic buildings in the capital, so soft and premium leathers, and premium suede in tonal grey shades, black and grey two tone stripes with lettering added to state 'ZX LDN'. Finished with hairy suedes and micro-perforations to give the effect of the stone, with co-branding on the heel and tongue badges, which bring together a worthy winner of their match up.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, END decided to go with the ZX8000 silhouette aswell but used nothing but colour. All mainly the same colour, a shade I'm not sure how to describe. Not quite orange, not quite brown, not quite tan or sand, but a mix of all three if that makes sense? Using a dystopian future as inspiration, they won't look out of place going for a pint down the local Wetherspoons, or a bar on the 18th moon of Tattooine in a galaxy far, far, away….. Lettering applied states Future, as previous rounds was Past. Then Present, this of course was the natural conclusion, and strolled to victory in the polls
Then the final match up and controversy I feel, as the brief on the adidas Confirmed App said the stores and design teams had free choice of any silhouette, including hybrids
Yet somehow, two completely separate design teams from two completely separate companies, managed to decide to use the same style of shoe, both decided to mash them together with another similar styled shoe; and you could of given people a thousand guesses of what silhouettes these stores would use.
Championship Round of the first ever Consortium Cup, any silhouette available, the back catalogue is open. A thousand guesses and not a single person would of guessed correctly, because who in in the world would of wanted to see an Ozweego or Response CL full stop. Never mind as entries in the final.
Nobody. Absolutely nobody.
Yet that's what miraculously happened apparently, END chose the Ozweego 1 to hybrid with the Ozweego 2. While Offspring went with a Response CL, and again went for a hybrid, with the RS Ozweego.
Both stated they wanted the futuristic look, though END had just done that in the previous round?
Offspring won. With a design that was inspired by the English one pound note. The very same English one pound note that was taken out of circulation in 1988…
I've not much of anything else to say about the final. It was dreadful, such a disappointing end, to what at times, has been a brilliant competition but one which has been underwhelmingly marketed. I do hope they revisit something like this again, I just hope it's executed differently. Better.
As of right now, everybody who voted for these pairs have received zero communication about when they may get released, or how many, or where. It's not good enough. I am here to champion a brand I love, and so will be in the main positive. Just this situation, on this I feel criticism is more then justified and should be aired.
But alas, it can be improved. And I as always, will Keep The Faith, I hope you do so as well.
Enjoying the read every fortnight chaps
Another quality edition lads, all your hard graft is for us to enjoy, much appreciated 🤙🏻 that Spezial bag up there with the Green Haslingden jacket for me, had been after one for a while, managed to bag one, came at a cost but certainly worth it great addition to the collection.