Unless you’ve been frozen or stuck inside a cave for the last 60 years, chances are that any time you see an item of clothing, a shoe or a sports replica jersey with 3 stripes on it one brand instantly springs to mind; Adidas. Over the years Adidas have created some of the biggest sport fashion trends and revolutions in history, including popper trousers and the blade football boot to name a couple, each displaying the signature three stripes. Here’s a few facts about the Three Stripes you may or may not know…

·         The three stripes trademark was bought from fellow German sports brand Karhu by Adidas in 1949 for and amount equal to €1600 and two bottles of whiskey. Since then it has become the face and identity of what is now one of the biggest and recognised sports brand in the world.

·         Along with this success has come much controversy. A handful of incidents have happened over the years with sports governing bodies and rules regarding the amount of branding that can appear on a team’s jersey due to advertisement. Despite not featuring the brand name, the three stripes usually take up a large and noticeable area (usually on the shoulders of tops and side seams for bottoms) and are classed as a trademark logo as opposed to a design feature. Noted disputes covered in the media include the National Collegiate Athletic Association in 1998 which was settled by a compromise to what the NCAA deem appropriate, and the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (Wimbledon) in 2006 in which Adidas won.

·         Over the last 12 years alone, Adidas have filed at least three dozen court cases against other brands and designers using similar designs to their own. Some of these cases have been successful in Adidas’ favour with offending items removed from the market and/or the defendant receiving a fine, whilst other courts have ruled having a copyright on a design trait so easily construed is farfetched. Lawsuits include Walmart, Polo Ralph Lauren and Abercrombie & Fitch to name a few.

·         The three stripes have been made iconic by sports culture throughout the years. Long before advertising and brand awareness became such a huge part of sport, Adidas had already established themselves as a quality athletic brand worn by numerous competitors. The three stripes adorning the side of their trainers and the trefoil logo (also adorning three stripes striking through the middle) had worked their way into the public consciousness via television and photographs many years before the company rose to be the global giant it is known as now. Adidas have played a major part in the endorsement and sponsorship of sports, sporting events and sport personalities for a number of years.

·         Adidas apparel has also been highly regarded in music and fashion too. They became closely connected to the Hip Hop fashion scene in the 80s by being adorned on the shoulders and feet of popular music act Run DMC, including a song dedicated to the brand called ‘My Adidas in 1986. Nu-Metal band Korn also had a song dedicated to the Three Stripes called A.D.I.D.A.S. (standing for the famous playground backronym “All Day I Dream About Sex”) on their second album to go in hand with frontman Jonathan Davis’ signature Adidas shell suit.

So what’s in store for the future of the Three Stripes? Or is the question, what isn’t? Adidas have successfully worked their way into being a major competitor in the Skateboard shoe market over the last decade, and with such a recognisable brand and budget it’s hard to imagine Adidas not being successful in anything that involves sport fashion and equipment. All I can say is no matter what becomes popular in the sporting world in the near future, chances are you’ll be seeing the Three Stripes on something…

AUTHOR BOX: Justin Wheeler is a Martial Arts Practitioner who works as a product purchaser at Black Eagle. He loves the Adidas brand for their quality products, all perfected over a number of years with research and expertise. His favourite Adidas stocked range is the Adidas Taekwondo apparel.