Adidas has announced its latest collaboration for Pride 2023: a unique partnership with South African queer designer Rich Mnisi. The collection, titled ‘Let Love Be Your Legacy’, combines lifestyle and performance apparel and footwear with the shared ambition of promoting allyship and freedom of expression in all spaces of sport and culture.

The Adidas x Rich Mnisi range includes signature silhouettes across Adidas Originals, football, cycling, sportswear, and swimwear. Inspired by a love letter that Mnisi penned to his younger self, the collection serves as a rally for active allyship and empowerment for the LGBTQ+ community, Adidas said in a press release.

The collection channels the spirit of allyship through its vibrant colour palette and slogans 'Love Unites' and 'Let Love Be Your Legacy' printed on the fabric. The apparel and footwear feature Mnisi’s retro graphic print, a monochrome circular check design layered with hand-drawn flowers, and abstract shapes in bright colours. The Adidas three-stripe motif is boldly accented in pink and red.

Ads

Key figures including Adidas partners Tom Daley, Jari Jones, Athlete Ally, and South African rugby player Lusanda Dumke have joined the campaign.

The Adidas x Rich Mnisi collection includes garments made partly with recycled materials and in collaboration with Better Cotton. In a move to encourage unfiltered self-expression, Adidas has also partnered with EA Sports to offer several pieces from the range to wear in-game and use in two separate game modes in FIFA 23.

As part of its commitment to make sport equal, Adidas continues its ongoing partnership with the non-profit organisation, Athlete Ally, which works to end homophobia and transphobia in sports.

The Adidas x Rich Mnisi collection is available on the Adidas website, in stores, and via the Adidas app.

“In creating this collection, I had a strong impulse to speak to my inner-child and express to the world how LGBTQ+ allyship can create a legacy of love. Unifying these themes together through my own visual language and Adidas’ iconic performance and lifestyle pieces is a powerful combination, making the collection a symbol for self-acceptance and LGBTQ+ advocacy. My hope is this range inspires LGBTQ+ allies to speak up more for the queer people they love and not let them fight for acceptance alone,” said Rich Mnisi.