Pharrell Williams has done it again — another collaboration with Adidas that is sure to inspire sneakerheads everywhere. Adidas recently overtook Jordan Brand as the second-most profitable sneaker company in North America, behind only Nike. Pharrell surely contributed to its massive growth.
Pharrell already has his own fashion brand called Billionaire Boys Club (BBC), which was created in 2005 in partnership with NIGO, founder of the famed streetwear brand A Bathing Ape. BBC is known for its Spaceman logo, intended to represent the idea that money is not its only inspiration despite the conspicuous brand name. Pharrell also founded ICECREAM, BBC’s sister brand, in 2012. He has collaborated with Adidas multiple times for the past few years, starting with a rainbow-colored lineup of Adidas Superstar shoes in 2014 and more recently collaborating on Hu NMDs.
He is well known for incorporating all over prints and bright colors. In 2015, he released 50 new colorways for the Adidas Superstar, and they sold out instantly. They are collectively known as the Adidas Heritage Styles. Adding to his fashion bona fides, Pharrell was awarded the Fashion Icon Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America in 2015 by none other than Kanye West.
The Hu NMDs were first released in 2016 and steadily re-released in a variety of new colorways. Pharrell set out with the goal to “explore humanity and celebrate diversity around the world.” The low-top sneakers usually feature a black cage overlay, a white BOOST sole, and English phrases such as “human” or “race” emblazoned across the upper.
At ComplexCon 2017, the now three-year-old convention for style, music, art, and sneakers, Pharrell debuted an exclusive N.E.R.D. Hu NMD, with resell values reaching $3,000. This particular sneaker pays tribute to N.E.R.D., the pop band with which Pharrell is associated and crossed genres in the 2000s and recently released a comeback album after a hiatus of seven years. The sneaker was part of a workout gear capsule collection by Adidas Originals.
In November of last year, Pharrell released another Hu NMD exclusively through Billionaire Boys Club. This sneaker was a more subtle version, with soft shades of pink, gray, and blue, instantly branded with the name “Cotton Candy.” Sold out instantly online and in stores, the shoe has become an instant classic among sneakerheads. Resell values peaked around $2,000 and have since stabilized. Four additional versions (tan, black, multicolor, and blue) of the NMD part of a “Statement Hiking” collection were also released that same weekend but were widely available. Shortly after, Adidas gave out deluxe Friends and Family packages containing the black NMD and essential hiking gear to a select few.
The epic three-way collaboration Hu NMD with Pharrell, Adidas, and Chanel rounded out his runaway success. This time, the highlight sneaker was limited to only 500 pairs and they were only sold in Paris, France with no worldwide shipping. The sneaker collaboration marked his first joint design with the fashion house although Pharrell was the first male model for the Gabrielle handbag, walked in its runway shows, and even appeared in a short film directed by Karl Lagerfeld, the legendary creative director of Chanel. The shoe retailed for around $1,000, but resell values have shot up to $10,000 — undoubtedly an eye-watering amount for a pair of sneakers. He also tapped Colette, the renowned Paris concept store, to host the event. This was especially significant since it was Colette’s final year in business. An astonishing 120,000 people signed up for a chance to get the shoes. These have been rightfully called one of the world’s most exclusive sneakers. A bailiff selected 500 lucky winners.
Earlier this year, Pharrell debuted a new type of sneaker with Adidas, only available at the brand’s two-day 747 Warehouse Street event in February in Los Angeles to mark the 2018 NBA All-Star Weekend and celebrate the sport of basketball and its culture. He introduced the Crazy Boost You Wear shoe, with bright yellow, red, and green colors. The construction of the shoe is designed to enhance comfort and be breathable. The upper branding reads “Ambition,” fitting given that the Crazy BYW is Pharrell’s first foray into basketball. This will probably not be seeing a general release, although you can head to the secondary market to pick up one for $1,200.
For the next iteration of the Hu NMD, Pharrell and Adidas kicked off the celebrations in 2018 with the “Blank Canvas” variations, which released on Feb. 23. One in a white, blank slate, the other has a black upper, with a bit of core-purple in the laces. The Pharrell Williams x adidas Originals NMD Hu Trail “Holi Festival” shoes are designed to celebrate Holi, a Hindu spiritual festival in India where people are sprayed with colors imbued with positivity and forgiveness. The three terrain-treated models releasing next weekend are splashed in tie-dye motifs alongside tonal black and white accents. They also feature Devanagari text-embroidered uppers accented by bold mid-foot cage lacing systems. A rigid rubber out-sole and full-length BOOST mid-sole finish up the design of the shoes. Priced at $250 USD, the Pharrell Williams x adidas Originals NMD Hu Trail “Holi Festival” pack arrived early in India on March 2, with a full release at select adidas Originals retailers on Friday, March 16.
In addition to the NMD sneakers, they teamed up for another capsule collection inspired by the Hindu Holi festival. The adicolor collection sees pieces created using a powder-dyeing technique that references the festival and that means each piece is entirely unique. For this collection, Pharrell has taken on classic adidas Originals pieces, with apparel including track tops, T-shirts, shorts and trackpants. The footwear element of the capsule includes the Stan Smith and Tennis Hu PK silhouettes, with both sneakers featuring powder-dyed uppers and contrasting white lining and midsoles. This capsule also released globally on March 16.
In addition, Pharrell has also given out Friends and Family versions of the NMDs that will never see a public rollout. Burgundy and purple are among the colors that have been revealed. An unreleased shock pink version was teased by Adidas VP Jon Wexler and then recently auctioned off on eBay by NYC-based retailer Stadium Goods with 100% of proceeds going to the ACLU. Another version coming in a crisp mint green was raffled off at last year’s ComplexCon and made available for the price of $12,000 at retailer Soled Out. Of course, this does not mean you cannot buy them, but they will not come cheap. If you are not one of the lucky few that are close to the renowned creative, you can head to the secondary market where resell values easily average around $10,000 for each version. The exorbitant prices certainly demonstrate the power of Pharrell’s creativity and the desirability of his creations.
Despite being known as a musician, Pharrell is now famous for being a designer and influencer. The trend seems to lean towards artists and musicians influencing fashion rather than athletes. Pharrell is among many other artists who have delved into sneakers, joining the ranks of Kanye, Drake, Travis Scott, and more. Images have surfaced revealing a China-exclusive Pharrell NMD Trail collection, an Africa inspired “Afro” NMD pack, and another BBC exclusive Pharrell NMD. Expect the China NMD’s to drop in May and the other releases in the fall. It seems like Pharrell is going all in with these releases.
As for Adidas, look for more three stripes as it expands its footwear line with the Futurecraft 4D silhouette that has a technologically advanced “midsole crafted with light and oxygen” and seeks to capitalize on several creative collaborations with other music and fashion icons.
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