MissyE is jumping on the trend with an Adidas contract. I have a soft spot for her music & brave personal style, so i dont really mind her cashing in the Adidas euros
extracts from a wwd article
Tuesday April 13, 2004
Missy Elliott Teams Up With Adidas
By Melanie Kletter
NEW YORK — Hip-hop artist Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott, who often dresses in Adidas for her videos and award shows, is taking her relationship with the German athletic giant to the next level. The firm is set to announce a deal today with Elliott for a signature fashion collection, which will debut in stores this September.
The three-time Grammy winner is slated for an appearance at the Adidas Original store in SoHo to give details of the new collection, which includes a range of sport-inspired women’s apparel, accessories and footwear, WWD has learned. Adidas executives declined to divulge specifics except to say the line blends “Adidas’ street history and sporting styles with Missy Elliott’s personality, flare and original style.”
Elliott joins a string of female musicians who have launched their own fashion collections in recent years, including Eve, Gwen Stefani, Jennifer Lopez and Thalia, and the pack is growing fast. Beyoncé is at work on a signature line, and Ashanti is also rumored to be launching her own collection. At the same time, as the line between sports and entertainment continues to blur, athletic companies are reaching out to musicians to connect with the 18-to-30-year old audience. Reebok has been among the most active in this area, and now has licensing deals with musicians including Pharrell Williams, G-Unit and Jay-Z.
Elliott’s line will fall under the Adidas Originals banner, which is the German company’s sport and street fusion brand. A prolific musician who is known to be a flashy dresser and sometimes outlandish performer, Elliott has long been a fan of Adidas. She is also no stranger to the fashion world, having appeared in marketing campaigns for brands such as Garrard, Sprite and Reebok, as well as the Gap campaign last spring with Madonna. She is currently featured in ads for MAC Cosmetics.
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extracts from a wwd article