Adidas Originals Teams Up With Bed J.W. Ford For Their Second Collection
- At the beginning of a new decade, adidas reunites with the new-gen Japanese fashion brand, BED j.w. FORD
- Their second team-up focuses on a range of progressive yet street-ready apparel and footwear, inspired by the bold design heritage of adicolor
Founded in 2010 by Shinpei Yamagishi and Keisuke Kosaka, BED j.w. FORD has evolved into one of this generation’s most exciting new brands. Influenced by both the streetwear scene and avant-garde designers such as Y-3’s Yohji Yamamoto, the striking silhouettes and bold color palettes that define their output remain utterly distinct with each new collection. Still in the early days of a new decade, it feels fitting for adidas to work with BED j.w. FORD for the second time in as many seasons: a way of cementing their position as leading lights alongside frequent adidas collaborators from the OG Tokyo scene, such as NEIGHBORHOOD, BAPE and Porter-Yoshida & Co.
For this second collaboraton, designer Shinpei Yamagishi and his team have paired their forward-facing vision with the iconic heritage of adicolor. First launched in 1983, the original, all-white adicolor sneakers were sold with acrylic paints and brushes, allowing wearers to unleash their colorful creativity on the pristine new footwear. Channelling both the creative spirit and vibrant palette of adicolor, BED j.w. FORD have crafted a striking collection of eye-catching apparel pieces, offset by an understated take on two of adidas’ most contemporary footwear styles.
At the forefront of the collaboration sits a coach-style ‘Bench’ jacket and shin-length, kimono-inspired coat. Each is rendered in rich green, with sunshine-yellow three stripes running from shoulder to cuff and a large adidas trefoil stamped across the back in the same color. Red and black accents on the shoulder compound the adicolor influences, while each piece of outerwear is given additional functionality through the insertion of a panelled weld pocket on the right-hand side of the chest. Small yellow co-branding sits on both the opposite sides of the chest and on each sleeve. That same styling is applied to a full zip hoody, game jersey and track pants, allowing for completely modular, head-turning ways of wearing the collection.
In contrast to the colorful apparel offerings, the footwear is much more muted, presented with white uppers and grey suede/nubuck overlays. The first pair takes the shape of one of adidas’ key footwear styles for SS20, the Supercourt. Primarily inspired by tennis shoes of yesteryear, the model is given a casual twist by BED j.w. FORD in the form of a ballet-style collapsible heel. The Supercourt is accompanied by the Crazy BYW, a more modern basketball shoe with oversized cushioning and snug sockliner. Co-branding is similarly understated on both pairs, though flashes of yellow appear on each – on the Supercourt’s eyestays; on the Crazy BYW’s outsole. It is perhaps the most refined example of how BED j.w. FORD has found a way to take the adicolor aesthetic in a slick new direction.