The idea behind the Adidas brand was discovered and founded by Adolf (Adi) Dassler who after designing and making his own pair of running shoes in 1920 at the young age of 20, was inspired to make footwear specifically for athletes to help them maximise their sports performance. His first shoe was made from the few materials available during the post war period but as Dassler was a keen athlete himself and knew fellow sportsmen in the industry, he had a good idea about which materials to use that would make the shoes effective and original.

Adi Dassler geared his shoemaking specifically towards track and field running and his shoes soon became popular among athletes who chose to wear them at the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam. By the mid 1920’s, Dassler was already experimenting with using spikes on the bottom of his shoes; a completely unique design concept.

By the mid 1930’s Adi Dassler’s empire had grown significantly and he was already making 30 different types of shoes for eleven ranges of sports and had a workforce of almost 100 employees. In less than two decades Adidas had become the world’s leading sports shoe manufacturer and thus, Dassler’s original goal was achieved.

Of course, the Second World War meant that Dassler could not proceed with the brand with the momentum intended, and so after the war in 1948 when his shoe making business was back on its feet, he registered Adidas as the company name - a combination of his own first and last name. One year later he then registered the distinctive and iconic Three Stripes logo which is what still immediately distinguishes the Adidas brand today. Dassler’s ultimate step to success came when Germany won the Soccer World Cup in 1954. In the legendary Final against Hungary, the German team wore boots with screw-in studs which were uniquely designed and made by Adidas.

Adidas continued to grow and from the mid 1960’s the brand extended its product lines to producing sports clothing and accessories. A true entrepreneur, Dassler knew what the sports industry needed and used his contacts including well known athletes to market and advertise his products. Many famous athletes such as Jesse Owens, Muhammad Ali, Max Schmeling, Sepp Herberger and Franz Beckenbuer all wore and genuinely loved Adidas products which of course helped to raise the brand profile with everyone wanting to own a product by Adidas.

Adi Dassler died in 1978, at the age of 78 but the Adidas brand is still one of the most prominent and popular sports brands in the industry. Even after his death, the brand has continued to excel in the way that Dassler would have intended. Following the Streetball craze in 1992, Adidas began to target a younger and more fashion orientated target group and implemented a youthful look to many of the products. In 1993, Robert Louis-Dreyfus took over management of the company and initiated the comeback of the iconic Three Stripes. In 1995, the adidas share was one of the most interesting new introductions on the stock market. In 1997, adidas AG and the Salomon group combined to form adidas-Salomon AG.

On January 31, 2006, an interesting business step occurred when the new Adidas Group acquired the sports brand Reebok International Ltd for 3.1 billion Euros.

Despite the change in management and the huge global growth, Adidas still firmly remains true to its original goal to provide athletes and sportsmen with footwear, clothing and accessories that help to maximise their performance in addition to boasting sleek aesthetics. Adidas has also become incredibly popular from a fashion perspective in recent years, with many high profile designers such as Stella McCartney collaborating with the brand and producing a collection of high quality sports/fashion wear called ‘Adidas by Stella McCartney. This has allowed Adidas to establish itself as an all-round sports, fashion, and lifestyle brand, injecting a glamorous but still highly functional element to its overall image.

Adidas has also become renowned for its range of accessories which most recently have included Adidas sunglasses. The ability to provide eye protection has become an essential part of designing sunglasses for outdoor sports and therefore Adidas has developed a range of highly functional sunglasses in co-operation with top athletes from around the world. Adidas sunglasses ultimately combine contemporary style with optimal functionality and comfort.

Maintaining the predominantly sporty but stylish theme, the Adidas sunglasses range comprises of futuristic designs with streamlined shapes, strong lines and contemporary, vibrant colours. With a wide range of wraparound, visor, frameless and more classically sporty styles made for males and females, Adidas sunglasses are incredibly sleek and are perfect for on-the-go style. The Three Stripe Adidas logo is also often featured on the frame or arm hinge.

Adidas sunglasses are geared towards a variety of sports including golf, cycling, running and adventure. The sunglasses are therefore designed to endure an array of different physical environments and include features such as TRI-FIT adjustable temples and nose-rests for added security and fit, anti-glare lenses, exchangeable lenses, removable nose protection and convertible headbands for use when in extreme temperatures and high winds. Adidas has placed eye protection and safety as a primary priority and all frames and lenses are made using highly durable materials, precision optics, and unique Adidas technologies including rimless performance inserts and inframe glazing adapters, all of which maximise visual performance, increase visual clarity and accuracy and provide the best eye protection possible in a range of environments.

Perfectly combining advanced technologies with contemporary style, Adidas sunglasses still remain true to the original brand value established by Adi Dassler back in 1920 of providing exceptional quality, superb function and high style with affordability.