adidas and BAPE blur the lines between football and fashion

adidas has teamed up with Japanese streetwear label BAPE to launch a football collection that merges performance innovation with bold street style. The collaboration, dropping on 6 September, celebrates the sport’s global culture while spotlighting standout design details.

The campaign stars former Brazilian footballer Marcelo Vieira, whose charisma and global icon status embody both football performance and street style culture. Marcelo’s 15-year Real Madrid career saw him win 25 major trophies while redefining the left-back role with creativity and attacking flair.

The collection features reimagined football boots, headlined by the Predator Elite FT Firm Ground and the F50 Elite Firm Ground. The Predator Elite is dressed in BAPE’s signature green ABC Camo with gold accents, a shark graphic on the lateral, and alternating gold logos on the tongues. The F50 Elite offers a gradient blue-to-pink ABC Camo upper, all-over print clear stars, and matching pink and blue sockliners.

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Apparel mirrors the boots’ energy, with ABC Camo jerseys, shorts, and tights, alongside a Baby Milo football tee. Accessories include an ABC Camo duffle bag, co-branded GORE-TEX gloves with Bapesta grip detailing, and a Baby Milo shoulder bag.

The collaboration extends to lifestyle footwear with a BAPE reinterpretation of the adidas Originals Samba. The silhouette features an aniline grained leather upper, a Skullsta rubber toe overlay, and alternating Bapesta and 3-Stripes designs on each shoe. The collection comes in two colourways: white with black and grey accents, and black with white details.

The collection will be available in limited quantities online, selected adidas stores, the CONFIRMED app, and BAPE.COM.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out for more information. 

This launch builds on adidas’ recent marketing push in football. In its latest “You got this” global campaign, the brand pitted two of its biggest athlete partners, Lionel Messi and American football quarterback Patrick Mahomes, against each other in a treadmill face-off. The light-hearted spot shows the duo encouraging one another to run faster, underscoring the campaign’s message that even the best in the world can go further with the right push.

Closer to home, adidas signed a three-year deal in June to become the official kit supplier for Singapore’s Lion City Sailors starting from the 2025/26 season. Beyond outfitting the team, the partnership includes fan engagement initiatives, community programmes, and exclusive events aimed at strengthening ties with local football fans.

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