Amid A Ma Maniere celebrating its 10th Anniversary via a capsule of sneakers with Nike, Jordan Brand, and Converse, it’s rumored that James Whitner and The Whitaker Group have inked a multi-year footwear deal with Nike’s biggest rival — adidas.
As reported by Lois Sakany, founder of Snobette, and Kari Daniels, aka SneakerPhetish on X, multiple sources have stated that TWG and The Three Stripes will begin to work on product in 2025. However, this doesn’t necessarily indicate that there will be no more TWG x Nike Inc. releases, as Social Status previously worked with adidas on an Ultra4D Mid in 2021. Projects with others in the footwear industry have also come from TWG and its entities, including an "exclusive" special makeup New Balance 1906U Pack and an ultra-limited Asics collaboration with Social Status.
This topic is one of many major shakeups in the footwear space over the last weeks. Earlier in the day, it was also reported that Nike would reengage in its partnership with Tom Sachs, who was hit with controversy last year over allegations of a hostile workplace and toxic behavior. Before this, Nike announced that veteran Elliot Hill would replace John Donahoe after his poor performance since he took the company's reigns in 2021.
For adidas, adding the American-based retail conglomerate would be beneficial in gaining ground in the US, as after the departure of Yeezy, it has had its fair share of financial and cultural problems. James Whitner and The Whitaker Group are often regarded as some of the best storytellers in the footwear space, with their previous projects drawing inspiration from social injustice, the Black experience in America, and more.
This news came after Whitner and TWG were cleared of allegations surrounding potential involvement in a federal money laundering case. During this time, Nike continued to support TWG and Whitner as they launched multiple footwear projects and potentially have more in the pipeline in 2025. It’s also rumored that another A Ma Maniere x Air Jordan 5 is in the works for 2025.
Whitaker Group's PR company reached out to Sole Retriever and claimed this information was inaccurate despite the sources mentioned. Following that outreach, none of the parties involved (adidas, The Whitaker Group, nor James Whitner) have commented on the potential partnership. We’ll keep you updated on developments on this news and more in the sneaker and streetwear world by downloading the Sole Retriever mobile app.
Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. Concerts, music, trying new restaurants, and catching the latest movies are some of the things I enjoy when not writing for Sole Retriever. Email: nick@soleretriever.com
