Adidas Receives Criticism for “Shackle” Designed Shoes

Adidas has cancelled production of new shoes set to launch in August after receiving some negative criticism on Monday. The company announced that they will not release the JS Roundhouse Mids, which were revealed on Facebook with the following slogan, "Got a sneaker game so hot you lock your kicks to your ankles?" Jeremy Scott designed the sneakers and says that the inspiration came from a toy from the 1980's, My Pet Monster which wore orange cuffs and could be chained to the toy itself of the wrist of a child. The chain on the toy monster was similar to those associated with those on the JS Roundhouse Mids. It's the design that has people talking. The orange shackles attached to the shoes have offended some as they associate them with slavery. Scott has worked with Adidas in the past designing a variety of unique products. He says that the new product was not meant to reference incarceration or slavery. Syracuse economics professor Boyce Watkins contributed to the online criticism saying, "Shackles, the stuff that our ancestors wore for 400 years while experiencing the most horrific atrocities imaginable." Adidas made the following statement: "Our collaboration with Jeremy Scott has always stood for creativity and originality. Jeremy Scott is renowned as a designer whose style is quirky and lighthearted & his previous shoe designs for adidas Originals have, for example, included panda heads and Mickey Mouse. The design of the JS Roundhouse Mid is nothing more than the designer Jeremy Scott's outrageous and unique take on fashion and has nothing to do with slavery. Since the shoe debuted on our Facebook page ahead of its market release in August, adidas has received both favorable and critical feedback. We apologize if people are offended by the design and we are withdrawing our plans to make them available to the marketplace."