Adidas Shackle Shoes: Cancelling Ridiculous Sneaker Shouldn't Silence Backlash

With so many companies competing to earn the market share of sneaker money, it was just a matter of time before a shoe so idiotic and offensive came out that the backlash was going to force someone's hand. 

That is exactly what happened to Adidas, which unveiled plans this week to release a "Shackle Shoe" that featured a "chain" that would wrap around the ankle. 

According to the Detroit Free Press, Adidas made the decision to cancel the shoes, which were designed by Jeremy Scott, because it received criticism for being a symbol of slavery. 

Within the same report, Adidas tried to save face and the reputation of its designer, by saying that it was simply Scott's "unique take on fashion."

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Since the shoe debuted on our Facebook page ahead of its market release in August, Adidas has received both favorable and critical feedback. We apologize if people are offended by the design and we are withdrawing our plans to make them available in the marketplace.

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Despite doing the right thing and making sure these shoes don't hit the market, both Adidas and the designer should hear a lot more outrage before this goes away. 

Speaking for myself, I first saw the design on Tuesday night and was immediately offended. It is tasteless and reflects so badly on both Adidas and Scott. There was nothing funny about this, nor did it look anything like the classic high-top that had a strap across the middle that the company was going for. 

No matter how Adidas tries to spin this, the shoes are going to evoke negative emotions in people. It does look like a symbol for slavery, or at the very least some kind of prison sentence. 

Cancelling the shoe was absolutely the right move, but the public relations nightmare should not stop there. The fact that this made it past the design stage and was starting to be produced is a joke in itself. 

Athletic shoes are supposed to be fun. What Adidas and Scott came up with is not fun, it is idiotic and tasteless. Thankfully, there were enough critics out there to get this shoe taken away before it came out. 

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