LOCAL DESIGNER’S COLLABORATION WITH ADIDAS CELEBRATES HERITAGE & IDENTITY
Inspired by his Tsonga origins, Rich Mnisi’s collection with adidas uses bright, bold animal prints, clashing colours and striking abstract patterns to perfectly tell the story of his roots.
This year, adidas released its debut line with South African contemporary fashion designer, Rich Mnisi. Known for celebrating self-expression and identity through fashion design, Rich’s collection with adidas features vibrant pieces that embrace his Tsonga heritage.
Even at its humblest and undiscovered beginnings, the talent of Rich Mnisi drew on the wealth of his culture for inspiration, which is now evident in his collection with adidas.
“I am immensely proud to present this collection in collaboration with adidas, an iconic brand that I grew up seeing on people of colour that were rewriting the arts.”
The collection consists of performance pieces that support a variety of sports including swimming, training, running, tennis, and cycling. In addition, the collection includes statement streetwear pieces consisting of exaggerated silhouettes that gracefully combine style, function and colour, into works of wearable art.
For the collection, adidas’ iconic footwear styles have also been reimagined with bold and vibrant colours. The styles included in the collection are Superstar, UltraBOOST and Forum, that will now be sporting Rich’s signature prints.
With his dedication to the celebration of identity, and the brand’s belief that through sport, we have the power to change our lives, the adidas x Rich Mnisi collection pushes the boundaries of sport style while having self-expression at its core.
“Together we have created a bright, unique collection that reflects my love for the idea of community and heritage, individuality, and self-expression. Our aim was to create pieces that supports life on and off the sports field,” shares Rich.
A collaboration on this scale is an immense achievement for the South African fashion industry as it puts the industry and South African designers in the global spotlight.
The emphasis on the designer’s Tsonga heritage also means that the collection showcases the wonders of Africa, its past and present culture, and the unique stories of its people.
With sticking to Rich’s celebration of his heritage, comes a dedication to the preservation of his homeland’s habitat and environment and as a result, the pieces of the collection are in part made of recycled materials and Parley Ocean Plastic. The intention behind this is to help support the fight to end plastic waste.
“The spirit of this collection celebrates our homeland, so environment was an important aspect when looking at methods and materials used in the creation process. I am so pleased we’ve used adidas’ advanced technology and partly recycled materials.”
The adidas x Rich Mnisi collection is now available at www.adidas.co.za and at adidas retail stores.
