adidas Originals will be rolling out a whole range of b-ball culture related apparel and footwear this season, which is sure to please sports fans and brand fiends alike. Kicking off the slew of fresh new releases is the hotly anticipated rerelease of the Mutombo shoe. Originally released by adidas during the 1992–93 NBA Season, the Mutombo signature basketball shoe is now celebrating its 20th anniversary. Couple this with the current collective consumer thirst for throwback ‘90s sportswear and you’ll find that this reissue couldn’t be any more timely.
Hitting Originals stores and the Originals ecommerce store September 1st, the shoe is the result of the adidas design team’s conversations with Dikembe Mutombo, the retired NBA eight-time All Star. The team wanted the shoe to highlight both his defensive style of playing and his colourful African heritage. This is evident in the use of traditional African patterns throughout the upper, whilst the iconic shield logo incorporates his jersey number, used throughout his 18 year NBA career. A career you can see chronicled in some eye popping short animations through the gallery above.
It’s no wonder such a iconic sports personality would inspire such an eye popping signature shoe. For more information on how the original shoe came about, and how the rerelease differs from that game changing original, have a read of the interview below which sees the adidas design team reflect on the process of bringing this colourful iconic model to life…
How did this partnership first come about during the 1992-93 NBA Season?
It was a time of change for the adidas brand and Dikembe Mutombo stood out as a unique player in the NBA. Only in his 2nd season, Mutombo was already well known for his decorated defensive playing and was the perfect fit for the brand’s first true NBA partnership.
What was the design inspiration?
The design pulls inspiration from traditional patterns seen in the DR Congo and draws from Mutombo’s heritage. The design places Mutombo front and center utilizing his number and his unique shield logo created by the adidas team. At the time, the aesthetic was modern and bold in both design and color much like Mutombo’s ability to stand out on court.
How involved was Mutombo in the design process?
The design for this signature shoe was inspired by Dikembe Mutombo, his heritage and his on court attitude.
What prompted the re-release of this shoe on this anniversary?
The 20th anniversary of this style marks a great time in history for the giants of the sports industry. This together with the resurgence of 90s styles in today’s streetwear prompted the re-release of this style.
Is this a 1 to 1 re-make of the original? How is the 90s version different from the 2013 version?
Yes, as much as possible. The re-make was built based on an archived model.
The Mutumbo OG is available from September 1st via adidas Originals stores and their online store. More drops will be announced later in the season.