Adidas Cancels Controversial “Shackle” Sneaker

“Got a sneaker game so hot you lock your kicks to your ankles?” read the Adidas Originals Facebook page byline to the new JS Roundhouse Mids, offered on June 14th as a sneak peak to the range they planned to release August.

Apparently sneaker freaks worldwide weren’t so fond of Jeremy Scott’s (alleged) slavery inspired designs, with a Twitter and Facebook backlash backed up by the likes of powerful talking head Rev. Jesse Jackson who deemed the shoes “offensive, appalling and insensitive.” “They went old school on these ones….maybe too old school”, “Shackle shoes are offensive other than being ugly”, and “Slavery isn’t a fashion example”, added to the #adidas#racism#jeremyscott conversation.

The Adidas camp responded with designer Scott tweeting that he had been inspired by the 90’s cartoon and toy, My Pet Monster and a statement from Adidas that insisted that the shoes were merely a reflection of “Jeremy Scott’s outrageous and unique take on fashion and have nothing to do with slavery.” They did however add that they “apologise if people are offended by the design” and have since cancelled plans to go ahead with the shoes.

Can anyone else hear the sarcastic eye roll that accompanied that statement?

Via USA Today and CNN.

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