Brand: James Bond x adidas
Model: Ultraboost DNA, Ultraboost 20, and Ultraboost SUMMER.RDY
Release Date: September 24
Price: $200
Buy: Online at adidas
Editor's Notes: "The name's Bond... James Bond." The iconic line spoken by the titular character of British journalist and novelist Ian Fleming's 1953 classic Casino Royale. A line that has continued to live on through novels and films and inspired generations, these five words have been at the forefront of James Bond's synonymity with action, sophistication, and most of all, style.
As an international spy, you'll more-than-often see 007 dressed head to toe in the cleanest tailoring the industry has to offer. Throughout Daniel Craig's years as the character – from Casino Royale through to the upcoming No Time to Die – we've seen him sporting Tom Ford, Sunspel, Armani, Acne Studios, Massimo Alba, Armani, and Barbour x Engineered Garments, to name a few.
Of course, sharp, functional apparel always comes with footwear to match, often courtesy of Crockett & Jones, Church's, and Danner. While sneakers are somewhat of a rarity in the Bond movie world, the odd Converse and adidas have made appearances.
One collection we're almost certain wouldn't align with 007's taste level is the upcoming James Bond x adidas Running collection. Given the character's rich history and the plethora of cultural settings in which he's been placed, Three Stripes' interpretation of "characters and scenes from the 25th James Bond film, No Time to Die" through the medium of sneakers and apparel is a pretty lackluster effort.
For the footwear component, three alternate versions of the once ultra-popular Ultaboost are used as the foundations. The DNA, 20, and SUMMER.RDY silhouettes aren't heavily distinguishable from one another outside of small details in the tooling, nor the choice of colorways. While the descriptions of each model provide interesting insights into the moments that inspired them, it's hard to see more than a set of monochrome running shoes. The Ultraboost had a huge moment following its debut in 2015, and these, unfortunately, feel like more of the same.
Where the apparel is concerned, it feels like a missed opportunity. 007 is renowned for sharp modern tailoring, even in the movies' more casual moments. This had the potential to be a great starting point for adidas to reinterpret the movie's styling through its sportswear lens – on the contrary, the collection offers a lineup of classic adidas silhouettes like tracksuits and tees, with co-branded elements and an extension of the footwear's monochrome palette.
While the lineup lives up to what it is as a running collection, it does little to capitalize on the mythos and style of the James Bond character, built up over 88 years.
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