This was a bad move by adidas.
I don’t think they were thinking about slavery or holding the minorities down when they designed the shoes, the problem was they weren’t thinking at all.
The intent isn’t the issue, the perception is and with a story like this people will latch on to it and make it much bigger than what it really is, but that is the price you pay when you don’t think things through.
Here is what adidas had to say.
“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. Jeremy Scott is renowned as a designer whose style is quirky and lighthearted … Any suggestion that this is linked to slavery is untruthful.”
I wouldn’t want to wear a handcuff shoe, as a black man you always have that feeling in the back of your mind they majority wants to have you in chains.
I believe what adidas are saying, but they have to understand the sensitivity of people in regards to the sneaker.
*UPDATE*
Adidas on ‘shackles’: We apologize if people are offended by the design & we are withdrawing our plans to make them available.