The Kicks You Wear: Adidas Rides Its Own Wave

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Replicating designs is a strategy that’s typically frowned upon in the fashion world, but it also happens a lot. Brands and products are knocked off all the time across the industry — especially in the footwear sector.

Yes, but: Is copying still an issue if a brand is copying itself? That question has resurfaced over the last week.

What’s happening: A takedown version of the Adidas Jellyfish surfaced at ComplexCon last weekend. Upscale Vandal, one of the hosts of the convention’s headlining Sneaker of the Year panel, debuted the Adidas Squid on stage at the event.

The backdrop: A takedown of a shoe is essentially a recreation of that shoe with a few tweaks here and there that slightly differentiate it from the original model. It’s typically more available and more affordable.

• In the case of the Squid, it looks like the Jellyfish without Pharrell’s branding on the tongue and some of the embellishments on the upper.

• The shoe is reportedly set to retail at $150 and is scheduled to release in early 2026.

Everyone seems to have an opinion on this shoe, whether they’re simply sneakerheads and fans of the original silhouette or industry creatives and critics. Their opinions range from being fine with this shoe existing to resenting the fact that Adidas would create something like this in the first place.