The adidas Originals ’80 Superstar is an iconic sneaker. From the day it was released, it has represented everything from determination and success on the basketball court to attitude and innovation on the hip hop stage. It represents being true to yourself - to keep pushing for what you believe in, no matter what.

The sneaker still figures prominently in the brand’s arsenal, but for FW17, it was time to give the beloved classic a facelift. We created a campaign to celebrate a new generation of icons using creativity to forge a better tomorrow, celebrating their quest to make a positive impact on the world.

The campaign featured plus-size model and body-positive activist Barbie Ferreira, feminist artist and photographer Arvida Byström, skateboarder Rachelle Vinberg, climate change and indigenous rights activist Xiuhtezcatl Martinez, feminist musician and activist Kiran Gandhi and gay rapper Khalif Diouf (Le1f).

Shortly after the launch, Arvida Byström’s contribution to the campaign went viral because of the abuse she received on social media for posing with unshaven legs. It created a global conversation about societal definitions of what it means to be a woman, resulting in Arvida responding to the hate in an open letter published by i-D.