Let's be frank. Wales Bonner for adidas is one of those rare moments when everything clicks into place. There's no excess, no misfires; just two brands coming together to deliver products that just work. Like bread and butter, they've achieved perfect harmony, leaving the door open to a bright future – a bright future that begins with SS24.
It's only been a few weeks since we were last served a steaming hot plate of Wales Bonner x adidas, and, despite satiating our gullet for a short while, it ended up leaving us hungry for more. Naturally, the pair had already been long at work ensuring that there was something to tease the palette come Paris Fashion Week, and they did not disappoint.
Wales Bonner's SS24 collection, titled "Marathon," is the perfect reminder that, like life itself, the ongoing partnership is a marathon, not a sprint.
A title, though, is nothing without context, and adidas' presence within the collection speaks volumes to it.
Within the array of Three Stripe-branded products, you'll find a pop-saturated pair of sneakers. Yellow, from front to back, this pair of runners is a remake of the shoe worn by Ethiopian runner Haile Gebrselassie when he broke the marathon world record in 2008; the adidas Neftegna.
Most interestingly, the pair in the show – which bear Gebrselassie's signature and 2008 time – were worn by Yomif Kejelcha, a 25-year-old Ethiopian runner and one of the fastest runners over a distance in the world right now.
Weaving the context together suggests that adidas and Wales Bonner are taking great inspiration from long-distance running for their next outing.
The rest of the pieces that reared their heads, however, feel more in line with what we've previously seen from the duo's collaborative efforts, with updated tracksuits, once again featuring bright pop color, as well as leather bags that feel straight out of the early to mid-2010s.
Shorts and outerwear are treated with strokes of pattern, resulting in looks that feel rooted in British heritage, offering pieces to a larger tapestry of British subcultural style.
Overall, the collaborative pieces feel like a marked step up for the pair, expanding their catalog while remaining deep-rooted in the areas that fans desire.
Shop the latest adidas x Wales Bonner pieces here:
