adidas Bans Jeremy Scott ‘Shackles’ and I’m devo.

Posted on June 20, 2012 by Rex

Typical serious people have to rain on my fuckin’ parade.

Friday last week the PRIMO! magazine team trotted along to see the adidas Originals by Jeremy Scott FW12 collection in the flesh.

We were captivated to say the very least. The use of Versace-esque prints on a leopard print tracksuit is this Wog girls dream look. The 80′s style hibiscus orange tracksuit was another winner.

However, my favourite piece were the ‘Shackles.’ You see I’ve always loved the Mary Mary hit:

Today I learnt of the uproar (God bless the Internet), where online viewers left much negative feedback – claiming the design resembled shackles used on African-Americans during slavery. DAMAGE CONTROL: adidas immediately pulled the shoe from the collection.

Whilst we’re on the topic of intolerance, has anyone actually read the shit people write about Jeremy Scott on the internet? The guy knows a great deal about people being closed minded. Namely calling him derogatory names like “faggot” to which he responds “Your hate makes me stronger.” So yeah, a lot of the people calling him a racist are homophobes. Wait, what?

In terms of big business I understand adidas’ need to not be considered racists and Jeremy Scott took to twitter to share the inspiration for the ‘Shackle’ shoe.

In my opinion: beauty and stupidity are both in the eye of the beholder. Last week I showed my 17 year old brother the adidas Originals by Jeremy Scott look book and he professed he would never, ever wear shoes with Gorilla’s on them. That’s his prerogative. I happen to love the idea of furry friends on my feet.

Now, perhaps my – let’s call it – ignorance is because I was born and raised in Australia. Whilst we aren’t without our own shortcomings in the history department, I suppose the shackles have far less of a stigma in the context in which I was raised.

If this is how sensitive we’re all going to be to one of the wackiest designers around, I’m just waiting for the PETA vs Jeremy Scott bear sneaker case to start.

Or for a Womens Rights movement to kick up a stink about this vagina mirror.

Update: adidas’ Official Response courtesy of adidas Australia

“Our collaboration with Jeremy Scott has always stood for creativity and originality.  Jeremy Scott is renowned as a designer whose style is quirky and lighthearted and his previous shoe designs for adidas Originals have, for example, included panda heads and Mickey Mouse. The design of the JS Roundhouse Mid is nothing more than the designer Jeremy Scott’s outrageous and unique take on fashion and has nothing to do with slavery.  Since the shoe debuted on our adidas Originals Facebook page ahead of its market release in August, adidas has received both favorable and critical feedback.  We apologize if people are offended by the design and we are withdrawing our plans to make them available in the marketplace.”