adidas Grete Waitz

• MODEL: ADIDAS GRETE WAITZ
• MADE IN: VIETNAM
• MADE ON: --/05
• ART.NO: 749124

Grete Waitz was a Norwegian athlete known for her domination of marathon running especially between ’78 and ’88 when she won nine New York City Marathons. She was a world record holder and won both silver and gold medals in the Olympics and World Championships in Athletics respectively. As always, adidas Originals is quick to find and honor international athletes of great ambition and so it’s no surprise that the infamous three stripes would team up with this legendary female runner, especially considering the worldview on women in sports at the time of her career.

Released in 2005, this colorway of “bloom” pink and “fairway” green was produced in honor of the silver medal Waitz won for Norway in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. A hint confirming this tribute is shown on the back; her running number – #289 – is embroidered in white thread. The toe box and heel are covered in lush, green suede, with the former patch being cut and stitched in a rounded, almost flower like shape, possibly to provide the silhouette with a more feminine touch than the typical running shoe. The pink areas are made of two different thicknesses of synthetic material, and the eyestays, side stripes, and upper heel patch are done in full white.

The finishing touch is the white midsole, sitting atop a dark green outsole, colored in black and pink strips near the forefoot and heel. The shoes come boxed in a royal blue, adidas Originals box, tied up with white laces, and show off Grete’s personal endorsement in a patch sewn to the thin, pink tongue. Inspired by her speed and endurance, the shoes are made to be quite lightweight with low traction, giving the wearer ease of movement and accelerated speed.

written by Dylan Cromwell

photography by errol

shoes contributed by Chris SoleconneXion Leal