The Dassler: Number 40- June 2025. Terry Fox-adidas Orion, adidas anniversary watch, Superstar 35th anniversary-final part & all the new releases.
Welcome to The Dassler, Fortieth edition. Read on for enough three stripe goodness to satisfy the most obsessive adidas fanatic.
Welcome to our Fifth edition of The Dassler in 2025-number 39, the monthly magazine especially written for (and by) adidas lovers.
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Everyone knows that the founders of adidas and Puma were brothers, but there was yet another enterprising brother in the family. Fritz Dassler who set up his own factory for lederhosen, the traditional Bavarian leather pants, which for a time was located in the Dassler family home. They also had a sister called Marie but little is known about her.
The last member of the Dassler family to work for adidas retired in 2018. Frank Dassler (who was 61 years old at the time) headed adidas’ judicial division 14 years. Although, he still remained a face for the company and represented it at several industry functions after 2018.
What’s interesting is that Frank Dassler was Rudi Dassler’s (the brother who created Puma) grandson and also created Puma’s research division in the 1980’s!
So the last Dassler to work for adidas had closer ties to Puma than adidas!
adidas-always learning!
The Dassler usually comes out on the Third Saturday of each Month-to take your mind off spending all your money on adidas and give you something to do while waiting for the end of the months pay day!
In this edition in our ‘Retro shoe of the month’ we explore a beautiful anniverary adidas timepiece. Woody retro reviews the last part in the Superstar 35th Anniverary release back in 2005, Craig shares another of his adidas adventures. We also have another adidas history lesson-this time we look at the enduring legacy of the Terry Fox adidas Orion and Craig again reviews the latest adidas releases.
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If this is your first visit then we’d highly recommend you run over to the very beginning (obvs wearing a pair of OG colourway adidas ZX600’s)to our earlier issues here.
This is a monthly newsletter, that will contain ultra rare deadstock trainers, new adidas releases & brand exclusive information from 3 stripe social media giant Craig (@adifamily_ *X & Insta*), adidas oddments & apparel reminiscences written by Woody (@dadidassler *X* & Insta) plus loads of articles from special guest writers and we have some absolute adidas legends as guest writers lined up!
Terry Fox-adidas Orion
Terry Fox was a competitive basketball player that sadly lost his leg to Osteosarcoma, a form of cancer which was found on his right knee. With minimal funding for the disease at the time, Fox set about to raise awareness. In 1980 he started running marathons and with the support of the crowds who saw his amputated leg he set the gruelling challenge to run the entire width of Canada from East coast to West coast. Working with the Canadian Cancer Society, Fox also reached out to adidas who helped the athlete with 26 pairs of their adidas Orion running trainer.
The Marathon of Hope inspired a nation. Fox raised a staggering $1.7 million & ran many miles before his cancer sadly returned. The story of Fox and the adidas Orion trainer was like nothing else the trainer world had seen before.
If there’s one thing the German sportswear brand knows a thing or two about it’s running shoes. The adidas Orion first came on the 3 stripes scene back in the late 1970s. Before the days of the Oregon, the New York & the ZX line, the Orion had already set the benchmark as far as running trainers were concerned. It featured a lightweight nylon upper with added suede to the toe and heel for support as well as a rubber toe cap for added stability. The midsole featured different densities of materials for increased shock absorbency underfoot. 2020 marked the 40th anniversary of the ‘Marathon of Hope’, in celebration of Terry Fox and his commitment to the Canadian Cancer society, adidas revived the retro runner from the Herzogenaurach archives.
40th anniversary of the Marathon of Hope adidas collection
adidas Originals celebrated the 40th anniversary of Terry Fox’s inspiring Marathon of Hope with a special collection of footwear and T-shirts.
Although Fox never finished his run due to the heart-wrenching return of his cancer, he ran a huge 3,339 miles, inspired millions and raised a huge amount in charitable donations to continue the fight against the deadly disease. Due to his tremendous bravery and dedication to his cause, Fox is a Canadian folk hero and this collection’s offering was packed full of deep meaning.
True-to-the-original Orions modeled after the pair worn by Fox they were dressed in navy with white Three Stripe branding and heel trim, plus a sporty blue tongue badge. The base layer was made of nylon and the overlays are constructed of soft suede. The shoe’s standard gold wordmark was present, but instead of “Orion” it read “Terry Fox.”
A prideful 40-year Marathon of Hope anniversary graphic complete with a Canadian maple leaf appeared on the insole, and was replicated on extra laces. Trim blue/white midsoles and outsoles completed the look. Even the tissue paper present in the shoebox was special: unfolded, it shows Fox’s notes to adidas requesting the aforementioned sponsorship.
The shoes were accompanied by a special red, white and blue ringer t-shirt that offered a retro graphic of Fox charging bravely ahead on the front, a 40th anniversary logo on the left sleeve and a map with a list of Fox’s stops on the back.
There are worldwide, annual Terry Fox marathons, on September 14th every year.
To join a run in this country or to donate to the Cancer institutes ongoing research into curing cancer-please go to the website or click the link-terryfoxrunuk.org
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