The Collection at the Adidas Originals Store Berlin Pt I

In the past 3 month I exhibited 9 pairs of Adidas shoes from my archive, that represent 

certain scenes or specific aspects of sneaker culture in Berlin before the year 2000. 

Since I was asked for my personal selection, I decided to allow myself a subjective view 

and chose the sneakers I grew up around. 

Whether they were worn by my gym teacher in grade school, or on the court at the Yaam 

in the summer.

These models might not be the most famous (although there are of course some classic 

burners in the mix) or flamboyant models, but they do deserve a certain shine, as they 

have been part of every person that grew up in Berlin at some point or another.

I'd even go as far as to state; Every Berliner (and I men that in a sense of: every person 

born and/or raised in Berlin) owned at least one of these pairs or had a pair in the family 

shoe closed at some point.

Like I mentioned in an earlier post, all of the shoes I selected where reinterpreted in 

ceramic by Sebastian Haslauer and are exhibited in the store window.

I decided to give you a little insight into my working process, how this selection came

about.

I will upload these in 3 parts, to keep the posts shorter, as there is so much to tell 

about this project.

When I made my selection, I wanted to cover as many scenes and facets of Berlin as

possible. For my presentation I jotted down subcultures and personal experiences I 

thought were relevant. Adidas liked my remarks, so they asked me to add these infos

to the display. They produced some cards to go with the shoes and we placed them next 

to the archive boxes.

All the infos in german + english and more pictures after the jump

ADIDAS SAMBA – *1950

Ursprünglich Ende der 40er Jahre für den Fußball entwickelt und in der 50ern produziert, 

um auf kaltem / vereisten Rasen zu spielen, wurde der Samba schnell zum beliebtesten 

Hallenschuh, da der Markt kaum Alternativen bot. 

In den 80ern wurde er zunehmend von der Linken-, Punk- und Skater-Szene adoptiert. 

In den 90ern war er zusätzlich der Grunge- und Ska-Szene zuzuordnen und ab den 2000ern 

den Emos.

Das ausgestellte Paar ist aus den 90er Jahren.

Originally developed for football in the late 1940s and produced in the 1950s to play on cold / 

icy turf, the Samba quickly became the most popular indoor shoe as the market offered few

alternatives.

In the 80s he was increasingly adopted by leftists, punks and skaters. In the 90s it was also

connected to the grunge and ska scene and from the 2000s to the emos.

The pair on display is from the 1990s.

ADIDAS GAZELLE – *1966

(fast kontinuierlich seit 50 Jahren in Produktion)

Der adidas Gazelle war der erst adidas Training-Schuh, der ausschließlich aus Wildleder 

in West-Deutschland produziert wurde. Um die Elastizität zu maximieren wurde bei den 

ersten Modellen Känguruleder verarbeitet.

Er war der klassische “Assel”- Schuh der Berliner Reggae-& Ska-Szene, aber auch das 

ultimative Basic (besonders für Frauen), lange bevor der Stan Smith, ab den ca. 2010ern 

sein Revival feierte. 

Das ausgestellte Paar ist aus den 90er Jahren und Teil der letzen Auflage, die in Europa 

produziert wurde („Made in Spain“).

(almost continuously in production for 50 years)

The adidas Gazelle was the first Adidas Training shoe to be entirely made out of suede in 

West Germany. To maximize elasticity kangaroo leather was used on the first editions.

It was the understatement shoe of Berlin's reggae & ska scene, but also the ultimate basic 

(especially for women) before the Stan Smith celebrated its revival in the 2010s. 

The pair on display is from the 1990s and was the last edition to be manufactured in 

Europe (Made in Spain).

ADIDAS SUPERSTAR – *1969

Der unangefochtene Klassiker und ultimative Representant der 80er Hip Hop Szene. In 

den 90ern auch bei Skatern sehr beliebt und mit dem Superstar II in den Mainstream 

katapultiert. Das ausgestellte Paar, ist aus den 80er Jahren und produziert in Frankreich.

The undisputed classic and the ultimate representative of the 80s hip hop scene. 

Also very popular with skaters in the 90s and catapulted into the mainstream with the 

Superstar II.

The pair on display is from the 1980s and made in France.