An Ironic Collision of Fashion and Sport: adidas Originals and Avavav Link Up for their Inaugural Collaborative Collection
GLM TEAM 
First introduced during the brand’s viral Spring/Summer 2025 presentation at Milan Fashion week which was cheekily billed as an attempt to break the world record in short distance running, adidas Originals and Avavav link up for the launch of their inaugural collaborative collection.
Founded in 2021 and led by Creative Director Beate Skonare Karlsson, Avavav is an independent fashion house that has garnered a reputation for its subversive, boundary pushing approach. Known for its sharp wit, attitude, and commitment to creative provocation, the label channels the spirit of the internet age and brings it to life through pieces that are undeniably Avavav.
Staying true to Karlsson’s design philosophy, the inaugural adidas Originals by Avavav collection is an ironic collision of fashion and sport, manifesting in a bold reinterpretation of, rather than a tribute to, adidas’ sporting legacy. Here, classic archival pieces are “Avavavified” into striking, exaggerated forms.
As Karlsson explains; “It has been a long-time dream of mine to partner with adidas Originals. I’m honored and beyond happy to have the opportunity to play around with their incredibly strong DNA—it’s so much fun! From the beginning of our partnership, I was encouraged to ‘make fun’ of adidas. There’s so much irony in how seriously we take both sports and fashion and exploring that while maintaining a serious attitude has been incredibly fun.”
This innate sense of provocation and humor is brought to life in the campaign for the Fall/Winter 2024 collection which takes the form of ‘The Worst Game You’ve Ever Seen’. Featuring a cast of not-so-athletically inclined models, the film and stills depict a game of football that is anything but competitive, with a series of mishaps and sporting failures playing out on a concrete pitch in front of a less-than-engaged audience.
For the inaugural collection, the footwear is centered around the iconic Superstar sneaker which is reimagined with an attachment featuring Avavav’s signature four finger motifs. Moving to apparel, a series of instantly recognizable adidas looks are playfully subverted – including a cropped track top, matching track pants, an extended track robe, a second skin layering top, and an exaggerated puffer jacket with hunched shoulders. Rounding out the collection is a series of surreal accessories, including caps and three-fingered football gloves that add a touch of whimsy.
The first-ever adidas Originals by Avavav collection launches on 21st November 2024 and will be available at adidas.co.za with prices starting from R2199.
About Avavav:
Avavav is a female owned independent fashion house striving for creative freedom, driven by humor, entertainment and design evolution. Founded in 2021 by Creative Director Beate Karlsson, and fostered by the internet age, Avavav is focused on building a fashion house for the future, one that connects directly with the end customer. The collections feature apparel, accessories and footwear, with an attitude and concentration on femme luxury streetwear. Most of the garments are crafted in Europe, with many unique pieces utilizing Italy’s luxury deadstock fabrics, contributing to a sustainable value chain. Avavav has gained worldwide recognition for its conceptual and humorous ideas, abilities to stir strong emotions and its pioneering silhouettes. Avavav was founded in Florence and is based in Stockholm.
About adidas Originals:
Inspired by the rich sporting heritage of adidas – one of the world’s leading sports brands and a global designer and developer of athletic footwear and apparel – adidas Originals is a lifestyle brand founded in 2001. With the adidas archive at its foundation, adidas Originals continues to evolve the brand’s legacy through its commitment to product innovation and its ability to filter the creativity and courage found on courts and sporting arenas through the lens of contemporary youth culture. Marked by the iconic Trefoil logo that was first used in 1972 and championed by those that continue to shape and define creative culture, adidas Originals continues to lead the way as the pioneering sportswear brand for the street.
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