Kicks

Behind the Design Process of the Adidas IIInfinity Series

Adidas Basketball footwear designers share insight into the development of the IIInfinity Series.

Pat Benson

Adidas Basketball unveiled the IIInfinity series.
Adidas Basketball unveiled the IIInfinity series. / adidas

Adidas Basketball has stayed a step ahead of the competition for decades thanks to its commitment to innovation, performance, and risk-taking.

Earlier this month, adidas Basketball launched the IIInfinity sneaker series featuring the Mad IIInfinity, Crazy IIInfinity, and new Nova IIInfinity. Each model embodies the unapologetic approach that redefines individual style.

The models push boundaries in design and functionality with features that stand out while focusing on comfort and support. Each style features metallic finishes paired with athletic meshes, semi-translucent textures, 3D molding, and glossy TPU finishes.

Adidas enlisted the help of NBA stars Jalen Williams, Jalen Green, and Giovanna Ramos of the Concrete Boys collective to help unveil the trifecta of sneakers in an edgy marketing campaign that stands out in the noisy media ecosystem.

Athletes and fans can shop the IIInfinity series on the adidas website. Plus, they can hear firsthand from adidas designers who helped bring the revolutionary kicks to life. Sports Illustrated's Kicks On SI spoke with two of the most integral players on the adidas design team.

Drew Little, Senior Designer behind the Crazy IIInfinity, Mad IIInfinity, adiFOM IIInfinity Mule, has over 11 years of experience in designing footwear in the sports category. As Senior Designer on the project, he worked with the team of color and material designers to help build a world for the product to exist within.

Little's expertise spans advanced materials, ergonomic design, and performance-driven aesthetics, which he combines to create distinctive and high-performing footwear. He had to draw on that experience to overcome obstacles along the way.

"The biggest challenge was manufacturability for trying to create something that's new," said Little. "We wanted the consumer to pick up the product and question how it was built and not just say, 'Oh, we recognize this from a previous model or recognize this type of construction'."

Little looked to the past for the inspiration of the new model while remaining true to the ethos of adidas Basketball.

"The early-2000s was a time when adidas Basketball was leading the conversation. Aesthetically, it was totally different from where the competitors were at. It was positioned in a spot where you either love it or you hate it. I like to be a part of projects like that, where it makes you uncomfortable. That's where you get to new places with the brand and how you talk to consumers."

The risks paid off, according to Little. "I'm super stoked. It's a testament to the team for coming together, creating something new, and taking a risk. Risk-taking is one of the main cornerstones for what the IIIfinity series is, so that's the part that really satisfies me. The team was all heavily involved in pushing something new and pushing something to the boundaries."

Assistant Designer Eliya Jackson helped bring a new model to the market with the Nova IIInfinity featuring a bulky silhouette inspired by Y2K-era basketball styles.

Jackson's role meant being very hands-on in communicating with the marketing team, who was her team's counterpart during the process. "I basically lead the design project from a silhouette standpoint. Our other designers tackled other silhouettes, and this one was left up to me to take on."

Jackson's work often focuses on pushing the boundaries of style and performance, merging functionality with aesthetic draw to appeal to modern athletes and fashion-forward consumers.

"During the design process, there were at least three directions we could choose from, and that was due to the extensive archives and options to pick and choose from in our DNA. It got pretty extensive, and then we had to narrow down and choose a direction."

Jackson went decades deep into the adidas archives in her research process. "There were a lot of references to the Crazy 1s, the Kobe series, and the Mad Handles, which I saw a lot of consumers calling out instantly, and that's a testament to how we infused it well into the shoe.

There are subtle references to adidas In The Paint, which came out in 2002. That was an archive shoe we thought would really allow us to take some of those 2000s references and introduce them into the Novas."

Time was Jackson's biggest challenge in the design process. "This was one of my projects that lasted a really long time because there were a lot of intricate details we had to get right. We couldn't just put out a shoe that wasn't finished."

Jackson admitted, "The Novas actually lasted two seasons. This one, we had to push into a new season to allow us more time to develop correctly and work with the factories, and finish the right way. Time did allow us to allow a really great product to sit with the other two in the series."

Jackson had to wait patiently before seeing the final product, but was pleased with the launch of the marketing campaign.

"My first time seeing it was the world's first time seeing it. I really appreciated it because it was raw. The way Jalen styled it in the campaign videos with the painted nails, the whole attitude, this young and youthful attitude, was really good to see."

Jackson is passionate about fashion and wants to see people wear the Novas on and off the basketball court. "Wear them wherever, wear them in the street, to church, a wedding, in the tunnel pre-game. If you want to feel good, literally wear them everywhere."

More Adidas Sneakers News

Published
Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the sneaker industry for Kicks On Sports Illustrated. Previously, he has reported on the NBA, authored "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)," and interviewed some of the biggest names in the sports world. You can email him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.

Home/Interviews