By Néstor Parrondo and Zak Maoui
Adidas is no stranger to sliders and it's highly likely you've got a pair of its signature Three-Striped slip-ons stowed on your shoe rack. The Adilette 22, which is available to buy now at a budget-friendly price of £62, is a step-up from the traditional Adidas slider. Unlike the aforementioned black and white model, the new sliders take inspiration from the popular (and sold out) Kanye West-designed Yeezy Slides that have been seen on the feet of Kim Kardashian and Justin Bieber.
The Adilette 22 model features a wavy, textured pattern with vertical grooves and distorted undulations reminiscent of a topographical map across the outer side of the shoe. The exterior branding is kept to a minimum and minimal wording reads “The brand with the Three Stripes”, while there are no Three Stripes or Trefoil motifs. The sliders come in nude, black, green, marbled and sand-hued versions akin to the colourways we've seen previous Yeezy sliders in, which might explain why he's not happy.
Indeed, so close in design are the slip-ons to West's own design, that they have sent the rapper on a digital rampage. Although Kardashian's ex-husband and the German brand have been teaming up since 2013, creating footwear icons such as the Yeezy Boost 350 and the Yeezy Boost 700, West has taken to Instagram to air his concerns about Adidas' latest sliders.
The rapper posted on his Instagram account an image in which he calls the Adilette 22 a "blatant copy". Specifically, he has referred to this model as a "fake Yeezy made by Adidas itself". While the Adilette 22 integrates a unique geometric texture with its wavy look, the overall shape is certainly reminiscent of West's Yeezy sliders with its thick midsole and sculpted one-piece design.
And sure, West might be mad at the sliders, but we aren't. They're a fraction of the price of the Yeezy sliders and haven't yet sold out.
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