Fear of God adidas Partnership Ends With Final Sneaker
The Fear of God adidas partnership is officially closing, marking the end of a unique era that blended high-fashion ideas with performance-minded design. Jerry Lorenzo confirmed the news during a conversation with Aria Hughes on Complex’s PLEASE EXPLAIN series, explaining that his contract with adidas runs for two more months and will not be renewed. The announcement didn’t surprise longtime followers, though hearing it directly from Lorenzo gives the moment real weight.
He reflected on the partnership with a balanced tone. Both Fear of God and adidas, he said, accomplished what they initially aimed to build together. The collaboration also provided his team with meaningful lessons, especially regarding large-scale product creation. Yet Lorenzo acknowledged a clear tension between Fear of God’s slow, intentional development philosophy and adidas’ quicker, performance-driven production timeline. That creative mismatch made long-term alignment difficult.
Lorenzo also highlighted several models from the partnership that still stand out. He expressed pride in sneakers like the Basketball I, the Los Angeles Runner, and The ’86 Low — a pair he jokingly labeled an “Air Force 1 killer.” He even touched on the early concept behind Fear of God Athletics II, which originally aimed to invite luxury houses like Prada into the basketball world, though that vision never fully materialized.
One last sneaker remains in the pipeline. The Fear of God Athletics Basketball III, previewed during Derrick Rose’s recent event, is expected to launch in 2026 despite the partnership formally ending in December.
Fans can watch the full interview HERE for deeper context around the Fear of God adidas partnership and its timeline.
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