Newsadidas

adidas Originals Taps Simone Rocha for Runway-Focused Collab

adidas Originals has officially announced a partnership with Irish fashion designer Simone Rocha, marking another strategic push by the German sportswear giant into elevated runway territory. The collaboration was revealed over the weekend, positioning the brand alongside one of contemporary fashion's most refined voices.

KicksUnderCost|February 28, 2026

adidas Originals x Simone Rocha collaboration announcement featuring elevated sportswear design

The Three Stripes have long maintained a dual identity—rooted in sport heritage while cultivating prestige partnerships across fashion, art, and culture. The Simone Rocha link-up reinforces adidas Originals' deliberate drift toward the runway, a trajectory that distinguishes it from adidas Performance and positions the mainline as a lifestyle arbiter rather than purely athletic vendor.

Rocha's design philosophy—marked by delicate structural experimentation, feminine silhouettes with gothic undertones, and meticulous material exploration—offers adidas Originals access to a demographic less concerned with performance specs and more invested in conceptual design coherence. The Irish designer has built a reputation for balancing accessibility with uncompromising craftsmanship, a posture that aligns with adidas Originals' aspirational positioning.

adidas Originals x Simone Rocha collaboration announcement featuring elevated sportswear design - detail view 1

The Strategic Alignment

Adidas has accelerated high-fashion collaborations in recent years—from Stella McCartney to Yohji Yamamoto—each partnership calibrated to elevate the brand's design credentials and reach audiences who engage with fashion as cultural text rather than casual consumption. Rocha's brand carries particular cultural currency among style insiders and fashion editors, demographics that influence broader trend cycles.

adidas Originals x Simone Rocha collaboration announcement featuring elevated sportswear design - detail view 2

The timing suggests adidas Originals is investing in designer collaborations as a counter-narrative to performance-driven narratives that dominate sneaker discourse. While the partnership specifics remain limited, the announcement itself signals intent: adidas Originals wants its place in fashion conversations, not just sneaker ones.