Latest adidas ‘Made For’ shoe inspired by tennis legend
28/08/2018
The shoe has been created in honour of US tennis legend Billie Jean King (her initials are represented in its name), who won 39 Grand Slam titles during an illustrious career.
The brand has said its release is a homage to Ms King’s “permanent footprint on the fabric of female sport”. She remains a vocal advocate of equality between male and female tennis players. Her efforts have led to all four of the sport’s Grand Slams now offering equal prize money to players of both sexes.
The design of the AM4BJK is based on the adidas blue suede footwear that Ms King wore during her ‘Battle of the Sexes’ match against male player Bobby Riggs in 1973. Her win in this contest, albeit against an opponent more than 25 years her senior, is considered a defining moment in the development of the women’s game.
The shoes, which will be made at adidas’ Speedfactory production facility in Atlanta, feature the brand’s Boost cushioning technology, among other technological innovations. The tongue patch is NFC enabled, allowing its owner to unlock exclusive digital content.
A limited run of 300 pairs were released on August 27, including at the store adidas operates at Flushing Meadows, venue of the US Open.
Image credit: adidas.
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