Prada, Adidas to Launch Collection in Re-Nylon
MILAN — Adidas and Prada are taking their collaboration one step further by including apparel for the first time — and raising the sustainability bar even more.
The Adidas for Prada Re-Nylon collection, which launches on Jan. 13, reinterprets each brand’s aesthetic codes once again, blending the Italian brand’s craftsmanship with Adidas’ sportswear heritage.
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Prada and Adidas in 2019 first revealed they were teaming on a long-term collaboration and this is the third collection launched by the two brands. Each piece is made in Italy by Prada and with the brand’s signature recyclable Re-Nylon textile. This material was launched in 2019, created through the recycling of plastic waste collected from oceans, fishing nets and textile fiber waste. It can be purified and recycled indefinitely, with no loss of quality.
The Adidas for Prada Re-Nylon collection marks the shift of the entire Prada production from virgin nylon to Re-Nylon, achieved by the end of 2021 — a milestone underscored by Lorenzo Bertelli, group marketing director and head of corporate social responsibility.
“This partnership is not just about product: it is about a philosophy,” Bertelli said. “At Prada, our values are fundamentally founded in people, planet and culture, an ideology Adidas shares. This latest collection is a showcase for a fusion of the technical innovation and innate knowledge of performance sportswear synonymous with Adidas, and the luxury vision of Prada — yet it also speaks wider. It connects with evolutions in our ideas of luxury, changes in the mindset of consumers, and shifts in the world at large. It is about looking forwards, and thinking of the future.”
In this new step of the collaboration, Prada has transformed the iconic Adidas Originals Forum silhouette, both in the high and low version, through the use of the Re-Nylon textile. The sneaker’s identity is further reinterpreted in a playful way with the addition of removable Prada mini-pouch attachments featuring the brand’s signature enameled metal triangle. The shoes also feature the Three Stripes detail and forefoot overlays in leather in a nod to Prada’s expertise in leather goods.
The sneakers will be available in monochromatic black and white colorways.
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Prada reworked some of the brand’s distinctive pieces with the Adidas branding, all in Re-Nylon, including a track coat, tracksuit, sweater, a hooded jacket and a bucket hat. Each piece is available in a duo of color iterations — black with white stripes and white with black stripes — detailed with Prada’s enameled triangle logo.
The collection also includes six bags. Three are larger and comprise a travel bag, a backpack and a shopping bag. The smaller bags are in line with Prada’s luxury positioning, yet also functional, and include a bandoleer, a BP hoodie and a belt bag. Each feature Adidas’ signature Three-Stripes detailing and Prada’s metallic triangle logo.
‘’We’re extremely proud of our latest collaborative project with Prada. Over the course of the partnership, we’ve spent time collaboratively reinterpreting each other’s iconic functional and aesthetic codes. We’ve continuously sought to blend our sporting heritage with Prada’s unmatched legacy of expert craftsmanship — each time seeking to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation,” said Torben Schumacher, general manager at Adidas Originals.
While the first two collaborative launches were focused on footwear, considered “a natural starting point” for both companies, said Schumacher, the latest chapter sees the two branching out into a full-scale capsule collection. “It’s important to point this out as it marks yet another milestone for both brands. What’s really crucial here, with this particular stage in the collaboration, is a statement of intent with regards to our shared commitment to sustainable innovation,” Schumacher continued. “Leveraging Prada’s newly refashioned Re-Nylon textile, the capsule collection acts as an exploration of the innovative possibilities offered by more sustainable textiles. We absolutely see this as an opportunity to show that luxury, creativity and craftsmanship can be, and should be, created in a manner that is better for our planet.”
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The Adidas for Prada Re-Nylon collection will be available globally in Prada boutiques and on Prada’s and Adidas’ online shops and will be accompanied by a dedicated campaign and a unique digital activation.
The companies are keeping details under wraps but, in a joint statement, contended they will “celebrate the inherently innovative spirit of their latest collection with a unique digital activation, bringing brands and people together in a radically inclusive manner. Collaborative by nature, fans of the collection will be invited to participate in the metaverse with Adidas and Prada through open-source co-creation.”
The first collaboration between the two brands bowed in December 2019, comprising the Prada Superstar and the Prada Bowling bag for Adidas in a small run of 700 unisex pieces. The launch also marked the 50th anniversary of the Adidas Superstar.
The next step saw the launch of the A+P Luna Rossa 21 shoes worn by the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team. The shoe was inspired by the design of the new AC75 Luna Rossa boat, and iconic Prada and Adidas sneakers from the past. It also marked the brands’ commitment to the environment. The upper was composed of Primegreen, a series of high-performance recycled materials, and encased in a hydrophobic E-TPU outer shell, providing flexible, breathable support and preventing water from penetrating the shoe.
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