Adidas was created by German shoemaker Adolf “Adi” Dassler in Herzogenaurach, Germany, in 1949.

Founder: Adolf “Adi” Dassler

  • Adolf Dassler was a German cobbler and inventor born in 1900 who began making sports shoes in his mother’s home after World War I.
  • His nickname “Adi” combined with the first three letters of his surname “Dass” gave the brand its name: Adidas.

Early history of Adidas

  • Dassler originally ran a shoe business with his brother Rudolf under the “Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory” before they split after World War II. Rudolf later founded Puma, while Adi went on to establish Adidas.
  • Adidas was officially founded in 1949 as “Adolf Dassler (adidas) Sportschuhfabrik” in Herzogenaurach, focusing on innovative sports footwear marked by the now-iconic three stripes.

Fun context and legacy

  • Dassler was an early pioneer of specialized sports shoes, including spiked running shoes that were used by athletes as early as the 1920s and 1930s.
  • From that small workshop, Adidas grew into one of the world’s largest sportswear brands, second only to Nike by the early 21st century.

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