How Adidas Owned 2014

Everybody’s favorite cleat company spent the last twelve months hustling off the pitch.

Not content to splash out on the World Cup with animal skin-patterned cleats, Adidas spent 2014 doubling down and doubling down again. Specifically, the world’s second largest sportswear company made a serious play for the lifestyle market, releasing a bumper crop of creative takes on casual Friday kicks. The sneakers were as diverse as they were inspired, creative enough to raise eyebrows in Beaverton (if not the Adidas stock). The best part? Many of the fresh-off-the-line products are just begging to be creatively tweaked, which means the company is set for a decade of intriguing iteration. We’ll be watching, but – for the meantime – we’ll focus on appreciating the greatest hits of the last twelve months.