Courtesy of adidas
Proudrace makes history as the first Filipino brand to partner with Adidas, reimagining the Jabbar Low with uniquely Filipino details and a sense of local pride.
For Rik Rasos, co-founder and creative director of Proudrace, the call from Adidas Philippines came as a pleasant shock. “Adidas Philippines reached out and invited me to present a design to their global team,” he says. What began as an invitation quickly transformed into a full-scale collaboration. “To my surprise and absolute excitement, the global team selected my concept. That set everything in motion.”
The process, Rasos explains, was conscientious. “What followed was a full year of research and development, plus rounds of sampling. Each step sharpening the vision. And now, after all that work, the collaboration has finally come to fruition.” Rasos views the project as more than a personal flex, presenting an opportunity to introduce Filipino design to a global audience through the universal language of sportswear.
In his inaugural collection, Rasos selected one of the ‘Model T’ designs of Adidas sneakers. First released in 1978 and one of the earliest examples of athlete-endorsed shoes, the Jabbar is named after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a.k.a. “The Tower from Power,” who led the NBA’s all-time scoring list until LeBron James in 2023. Its suede toe cap and foil-stamped tongue, depicting Jabbar mid sky‑hook, became a canvas that Proudrace has revamped with a celebration of local pride.
“For this first drop, we’re reimagining the iconic Adidas Jabbar Lows through the lens of our design philosophy,” Rasos says. He describes the process as “reworked, deconstructed, infused with Filipino cultural references,” resulting in a ‘Choc Nut’-colored suede silhouette featuring a fantasy vintage postage-stamp label. It captures the essence of Prada’s fan-favorite Spring 2014 Menswear collection; not Hawaiiana, but distinctly Filipiniana. Referencing one of the earliest Philippine stamp issues, when an 8 centavo registration stamp was included in the country’s first set issued during the Spanish colonial era.
Accompanying Proudrace’s holy grail design are two graphic tees that feel plucked straight from the beachside markets of Boracay or Siargao. “One echoes the aesthetic of classic souvenir shirts, and the other features the collection’s signature ‘I Miss You’ stamp print,” he explains. “It’s a subtle but heartfelt nod to Filipinos everywhere. It’s a reminder to stay connected to their roots no matter where in the world they find themselves.”
Rasos ties the collection back to his earlier work: “Coming off the 2024 presentation of our artisanal collection, it felt natural to extend the narrative from that same perspective.” He draws on cultural memory, “the thrill of discovering secondhand gems or inheriting hand‑me‑down shoes from family,” as a conceptual anchor.
For Rasos, working with Adidas is more than a business achievement; it’s a sacred moment, one that is close to his heart. “I’ve been a fan of Adidas for as long as I can remember, so this collaboration feels both surreal and deeply meaningful.” He believes the partnership also signals something bigger: “It stands as a testament to how globally competitive Filipino design truly is. We are capable of crossing borders, cultures, and perspectives. At its core, the project speaks to something universal: our shared desire to stay connected to where we come from and to take pride in the roots that shaped us.”
With this collaboration, Proudrace now joins a legacy of designers, including Wales Bonner, Jeremy Scott, Gucci, Stella McCartney, Yohji Yamamoto, Raf Simons, Alexander Wang, Rick Owens, Pharrell Williams, and Craig Green, who have reshaped and reinterpreted the legacy of the three stripes.
