On 16 February 2023, the adidas' Consortium Cup kicked off. 16 well-known sneaker retailers will compete with each other to be crowned design champions. Today, we look at the different designs, the intermediate standings and what's to come!
What does the Consortium Cup entail?
For those not yet in the know, we give a brief introduction to the Consortium Cup: In this tournament by adidas, 16 iconic sneaker retailers battle it out to win the prize of best designer.
Every week, a sneaker design competition is played among those sneaker stores. The first two rounds have already been played and focused on classic adidas silhouettes and adidas basketball designs. The third round will be about innovation in running shoes and the final is still a secret. You can easily watch and follow the rounds in the adidas Confirmed app!
Every Thursday, you have the chance to vote for your favourite item. In the end, 15 sneakers will also be produced with a limited supply. So be sure to vote, as voters will also have a greater chance of getting access to the winning sneakers!
To cast your vote, you do need a Confirmed account. Therefore, just create a free Confirmed account now!
Current designs from the Consortium Cup
Two rounds have already been played, so that means 24 designs have already been released! Therefore, today we are going to discuss the winners of these rounds here.
Classic adidas silhouettes from the Consortium Cup
So the first round of the Consortium Cup was all about the classic adidas silhouettes. Here, the various sneaker retailers took inspiration from the OG Samba and Gazelle designs.
NICE KICKS x OG Samba
In the first round of adidas' Consortium Cup, NICE KICKS took on OVERKILL. For this match-up, NICE KICKS took advantage of the attention to highlight hippy shops. With each design, a unique Zen symbol took centre stage, just like the surroundings of these shops.
For the design of this OG Samba, inspiration was taken from burning incense sticks. Thus, on the different shades of grey on rugged leather and goatsuede, curling wisps of smoke are visible on the layered stripes. In addition, the graphic print on the insock, the semi-transparent rubber sole and the brand on the tongue contribute to the unusual design.
END. x OG Samba
Sneaker retailer END. went up against Hanon in the first round of the adidas Consortium Cup. The UK-based shoe retailer aimed to provide education and inspiration with their 'Past - Present - Future' design.
For the design, they went back in time from textile design to tapestries. The design then applied this by juxtaposing different times and places from the past.
For example, handmade, geometric tapestries are mimicked by the Three Stripes, heel piece, tongue lining and insock. In addition, the T-toe overlay is aged with the 'golden fibre' that reflects antiquity with jute. The needle-and-thread graphic is the finishing touch that completes the homage to textile craftsmanship of yesteryear.
Footpatrol x Gazelle
In the first match-up, Footpatrol capitalised on the current macro trend: 'Technical Outerwear'. This resulted in a sneaker based on an adidas Gazelle design.
Inspired by Gorpcore, this iconic adidas silhouette was created for the classic indoor sport of handball. This is then combined with material innovations from today's key outwear essential: the puffer down jacket! The shoe reflects its muse with a downy Thinsulate-filled upper, a complexly layered midsole and an arctic colour palette with cool hues.
Extra Butter x OG Samba
Extra Butter managed to win the first round of the Consortium Cup by bringing sneakers together with the film and entertainment world. For instance, they took inspiration for their adidas Samba from the famous Brazilian film Cidade de Deus (City of God).
The design of this sneaker features the colours of Rio de Janeiro. Through a washed-out palette of colours, the vibrant environment with all its stories is brought to life. The insock, for example, features graphics of the setting, including the famous mosaic of Copacabana beach.
BSTN x OG Samba
In the adidas sneaker tournament, BSTN introduces a series of 'OG WITH A TWIST' designs. These designs are inspired by adidas classics and re-set out with the high-quality finish that is characteristic of BSTN.
When designing their first shoe, they used the essential signature features of the OG Samba, but this time combined them with a refreshing mix of fabric and subtle modern accents.
For instance, the OG overlays have been replaced so that the iconic T-toe is now emphasised. The heel piece has also been reshaped. Here, a basketball favourite from the archives has been taken as inspiration. Premium elements with both logos standing out the most on the semi-transparent lacing strip complete the design.
Kasina x OG Samba
Kasina is a sneaker scene-maker and stimulator from South Korea and took on HAL STUDIOS in the first round. They managed to win this round of the Consortium Cup by inspiring their design on their expressive seasons of their native Seoul. Starting with the most spectacular season: spring!
Thus, we find a warm off-white spring glow on the traditional white top. In addition, two native flowers are also honoured. First, the forsythia koreana (also called the gaenari) of Seoul. Secondly, the cherry blossom which is a symbol of new beginnings in this series of four seasons.
Sneaker Politics x OG Samba
With the first Consortium input, Sneaker Politics went full vintage style. By combining notable moments from the 70s, this led to a vibrant and tasteful Samba OG!
For where the OG models mainly consisted of conservative neutrals, here the remarkable shades of blue, green, yellow and red are visible. This elegant upper is in honour of the colour-block trend and gives the shoe a musical look. In addition, this colour scheme is combined with premium leather, furry suede and a playful animal-print insock.
OFFSPRING x OG Samba
The final match-up of the first round of the Consortium Cup was between sneaker retailers OFFSPRING and mita. This round was won by the shop in Oxford Street, London. Moreover, OFFSPRING's design was inspired by storylines from the city of London.
For example, on the trends and premium craftsmanship that London is known for. There are also references to the English weather on this Samba. Another part of the design is the hidden paisley pattern under the off-white rub-off stripes, heel piece and tongue. This will become visible over time as it wears away the clean and understated design. The paisley pattern is also visible on the insock.
The finishing touch are the four laces with striking patterns that come with the sneaker. Each pattern of the laces reflects a different view of London.
adidas basketball designs from the Consortium Cup
After classic silhouettes, the second round of the Consortium Cup was all about adidas' basketball shoes. Here, the sneaker shops took inspiration from the designs of the adidas Centennial, Rivalry and Forum.
END. x Centennial Low
Once again, END. managed to win a round in the adidas Consortium Cup, this time with an environmentally conscious Centennial Low design. With the design of this sneaker, END. takes a journey through the past to tie in with the current sustainability revolution.
Thus, this shoe is made to last, using natural and reycled materials with environmentally conscious origins. The combination with the colour green gives the shoe a timeless look. The design is finished off by logos of both brands on the insock and a subtle adidas Consortium Cup metal lace hole.
Extra Butter x Rivalry Low
As a follow-up to their first world film-inspired entry, this time Extra Butter focused on the film Battle Royal. This cult classic was shaped using an adidas Rivalry Low design.
For instance, the colour and material of the shoe are based on the struggling students' school uniforms. It also includes loose stitched threads on the stripes and heel piece. This is a subtle reference to the film's horror genre.
Finally, this sneaker also features both brands' logos on the insock and a Consortium Cup metal lace-up.
Kasina x Forum 84 Low
After Kasina made the spring season shine in the first round, it was summer's turn in the second round. They did this with a pure strapless model that features subtle details from the Forum 84.
The colour palette is combined with white leather, soft grey textures, khaki stripes, rubber 3D cat eye and blue accents. When you see this shoe, your thoughts immediately land in the summer cloudless skies.
With this sneaker, you also get a second set of laces. These consist of a colour gradient blue design.
OFFSPRING x Centennial Low
OFFSPRING's next tribute to British craftsmanship has taken the form of a luxurious Centennial Low design.
Again, we see the English returning through a muted colour palette. We also once again see a hidden element that emerges after the leather wears down. This time a heel accent of the Thames in London.
In addition, the design includes other premium features. Consider, for example, the print with gold accents on the quarter on the inside, wax-treated laces with metal lace ends and open foam edges for a bit of modern craftsmanship.
Not to forget…
Above, we have highlighted the winners of the first two rounds. Nevertheless, there are some designs from the Consortium Cup that we feel should not be missed here today. So enjoy a few more designs!
Overkill x OG Samba
Overkill owner Marc Leuschner's OG Samba is based on the western part of Berlin. For this, inspiration was taken from 19th-century neo-Romanesque architecture. Consider, for example, the historic building and landmark the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche.
For example, the bottom is copper-coloured and the top is mint green, representing the oxidation process on top of the gedächtnis. And the recessed print in relief on the nubuck leather representing the brick walls. Or the insock image representing the building's famous broken tower ('hollow molar'). The finishing touch to the design is the 'WEST' gold foil heel logo.
Footpatrol x Centennial Low
With this redesign of the Centennial Low, Footpatrol has brought out the fabric combinations and colour finishes of their 'Technical Outerwear' category.
They have done this by reflecting technical materials in the design of this sneaker, for example in the upper. Noticeable from the nylon base to the nubuck overlay on the toe cap. In addition, a scheme of mineral colours and the gradient colour of the base very subtly focus on the reflective and layered quality of these weather-resistant materials.
BSTN x Centennial 85 Low
Adding premium aspects and luxury features, BSTN managed to create the most sleek and flawless basketball shoe design for both outdoor and indoor use.
One way BSTN has done this is by combining a crystal white colour palette with the minimalist rendering of the Centennial 85 Low. They have also added unique woven overlays to the sides and toecap. The design is finished off with impressive leather tassels at the end of the laces and 3D-embossed logos.
Stay up to date!
With the semi-finals and finals coming up, this means we are going to be spoiled with six more unique sneaker designs. So every reason to sign up on the Confirmed app and cast your vote for the Consortium Cup!
In addition, be sure to keep an eye on our news page. Indeed, we will take you through the course of the tournament and keep you informed of all developments.
