Founded in 1924 by Adi Dassler following his return from the first World War, Adi made sports shoes in his mother’s laundry room in his spare time and quickly recruited his brother Rudolf to the business. Originally named The Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory, the pair worked to develop spiked running shoes for athletic events and was the first business to develop pairs with canvas and rubber spikes instead of metal. In 1997 adidas bought Salomon and it’s corporate name is actually now known as adidas salomon ag.

We’ve been looking for the best student picks at Adidas which we’ve listed below, but remember if you’re looking for discounts check out our adidas student discount for the latest.

about adidas

HISTORY OF THE COMPANY

The Dassler Brothers worked to develop spiked running shoes for athletic events and was the first business to develop pairs with canvas and rubber spikes instead of metal. In 1936, the brothers persuaded US sprinter Jesse Owens to wear a pair of their hand-made spiked shoes at the Olympic games that summer; and he won four gold medals! The business’ reputation was elevated and by 1939, the brothers were selling 200,000 pairs of shoes every year.

In 1947, the relationship between the brothers broke down completely and they split their business efforts; with Rudolph forming the brand that’s now Puma, and Adi Dassler Adidas.

The brands were fiercely competitive over the next few years and several athletes swayed back and forth between their endorsements and sponsorship deals. Their most recent slogan has been ‘Impossible is nothing’. A famous CEO of the past was Robert Louis Dreyfus.

The three-stripe logo that’s made Adidas into a household brand today wasn’t actually acquired by the company until 1952, when it purchased it from Finnish footwear brand Karhu Sports… and paid 1600 Euros and two bottles of whiskey for it! What a deal. Student Discount Squirrel approves.

Adidas’ main competitor now is Nike, but it remains to grow from strength to strength and is an extremely well-respected brand throughout the world for both sports and leisurewear.

STORE OVERVIEW & BUYERS GUIDE

Multinational sports giant Adidas, founded by Adi Dassler, is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe and the second-largest in the world including the United States.

Headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Germany, the brand manufacture, market and sell a vast range of sports clothing, footwear and equipment. The Adidas Group owns a good chunk of household sportswear and activewear brands, including Reebok, Taylormade and Runtastic.

The main focus of Adidas was, for many years, football shoes, clothing and equipment, and the company still own part of the Bayern Munich Football Club in Germany.

The company remains a major supplier of football kits, sporting goods and shirts for various league and international clubs, as well as referee kits through many countries and territories. Adidas has been at the forefront of producing football boots for a variety of surface types and competitions and in 1979 released the innovative Copa Mundial moulded boots for matches held on firm dry pitches – which went on to become the best-selling football boot of all time! FIFA have commissioned specially designed footballs for its World Cup tournaments, and Adidas is now an official sponsor of the UEFA Champions League.

Football aside, years later Adidas also offers specialist attire and equipment tailored for basketball, cricket, golf, gymnastics, lacrosse, running, skateboarding, tennis and kabbadi (a non-Olympic contact team sport that’s popular in Asia).

There’s also fashion and activewear collections for adidas products including numerous collaborations with designers and style-conscious celebrities and hip hop stars, including Stella McCartney (adidas by Stella McCartney), Yohji Yamamoto, Rita Ora, David Beckham, Herbert Hainer, Jeremy Scott, Kanye West, Stan Smith, Muhammad Ali and Pharrell Williams. These limited-edition collections often sell out quickly and are usually only available through Adidas retail outlets and online.

As well as clothing and sporting equipment, adidas are well-known for their accessories with the adidas logo. These include the currently very popular slider sandals, known as Adilette, which were first designed by the brand over 50 years ago! There’s even a massage-version of the sandals called Santiossage, with small plastic nubs built into the sole for a foot massage as the wearer walks. Other such accessories produced by Adidas include the miCoach fitness app and tracker, a range of shower gels and body lotions, watches, eyewear, sunglasses, bags and socks.

Adidas equipment and running shoe is in competition with essentially every other major sporting manufacturer but selling through its own website and retail outlets as well as through other distributors gives it wide appeal. The brand also invests heavily in sponsorship deals in sports teams, individual athletes and competitions; spanning football, rugby union, tennis, basketball, hockey, ice hockey and cricket, all across the world.

You probably own an Adidas apparel and footwear item and even if you’re not a sports or fitness fan, you probably should, as the brand is synonymous with quality and style.

ADIDAS DURAMO SLIDE SANDALS – £16.95

The absolute classics and current summer staple, sliders are the comfiest fashion shoe going.

Originally designed for athletes in locker rooms to help maintain some comfort and hygiene, they’ve now become a fashion must-have for the beach, swimming, nights out and just doing your normal errands!

Adidas sells a range of sliders for women, men and kids, and for all uses, in all colours and styles. Take advantage of this comfort while they’re still considered socially acceptable!

LINEAR PERFORMANCE DUFFEL BAG, MEDIUM – £22.95

Whether you play a sport or just train at a gym, this bag is only the medium option but is easily big enough to fit in everything you need!

There are an adjustable shoulder strap and padded handles to give you different comfy carry options, and there’s detachable inside dividers to separate out and organise your essentials, as well as optional detachable boot bag for your dirty shoes.

Despite being made from polyester, all materials used in the production of this bag are entirely recycled and are part of the Adidas Sustainable Product Program.

3-PACK PAIRS ADIDAS CREW SOCKS – £12.95

The classic striped socks you’ll see gracing the ankles of everyone all summer, this multi-pack presents great value.

The foot-bed is half cushioned for comfort and the blend of cotton, polyester, nylon and elastane gives for a great stretch but breathable wear – so no stinky, sweaty feet after a lot of walking, cycling or running!

These socks are ribbed and feature the Adidas trefoil logo as well as the classic three stripes; so there’ll be no doubt about who it is you’re wearing.

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ADIDAS FUN FACTS!

Did you know…?:

  • Adidas sports company headquarters are in Germany
  • It is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe.
  • The company was started by Adolf Dassler in his mum’s house!
  • His older brother Frederick joined the company
  • Dassler persuaded US sprinter Jesse Owens to use his spiked running shoes in the 1936 Summer Olympics
  • Jesse won 4 golds and the brand was launched worldwide
  • The company logo is very recognisable 3 stripes!
  • The brothers fell out and split and Frederick started his own company which would eventually be known as Puma!
  • Madonna has done promotion for them!
  • Football kits are one of their biggest earners and they have sponsored the world cup football!
  • They sponsor lots of leagues and cups all over the world including baseball, basketball shoe, cricket, golf, lacrosse, running, skateboarding, tennis!
  • They have sponsored major football clubs including Manchester United, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich!
  • You might have seen the term ‘adidas ag’. Adidas ag means it’s listed on the german stock exchange.
  • The adidas logo is known worldwide with the famous three stripes.
  • The adidas brand is one of the most famous and one of the most well known sports brand around the world.
  • Herzogenaurach Germany is the home of adidas shoes.

Correct as of March 2024. If you are interested in this article you may also be interested in finding out about Puma or about Footasylum.