Adidas AG is a German multinational athletic apparel and footwear corporation headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Germany. Founded by Adolf Dassler in 1949 following the split of the Gebrüder Dassler shoe factory, Adidas is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe and second globally after Nike. Revenue for 2024 was €23.7B with approximately 62,000 employees. The company is defined by its central graphic identity - the Three Stripes - acquired from Finnish brand Karhu Sports in 1952 for €1,600 and two bottles of whiskey.

Adidas operates two main design vocabularies: the performance line (Three Stripes corporate logo, technical materials) and Adidas Originals (Trefoil, heritage aesthetics, streetwear collaborations). The brand's first apparel item was the Franz Beckenbauer tracksuit (1967). Logo evolution: Trefoil (1971-1997) → three-bars "mountain" logo (designed by Peter Moore for the Equipment range, adopted as corporate emblem). The Adidas Confirmed app (2015) introduced geo-targeted limited-edition sneaker drops. Collaborations include Stella McCartney (women's sport performance) and heritage music acts (e.g., Oasis x Adidas Originals "Original Forever" collection, 2025).

• Founded: 18 August 1949 (Adolf Dassler, Herzogenaurach, Germany)
• Headquarters: Herzogenaurach, Germany
• CEO: Bjørn Gulden (since January 2023)
• Revenue: €23.7B (2024)
• Employees: ~62,000 (2024)
• Stores: ~1,863 (2023)
• North America HQ: Portland, Oregon
• Stock: Frankfurt Stock Exchange (DAX)

• Footwear: performance and lifestyle sneakers (Samba, Superstar, Stan Smith, NMD, Ultraboost); football boots; running and basketball shoes
• Apparel: T-shirts, tracksuits, jackets, hoodies, leggings, sportswear (largest manufacturer of sports bras in Europe)
• Accessories: bags, hats, socks
• Adidas by Stella McCartney: women's sports performance collection (joint venture launched September 2004)
• Adidas Originals: heritage lifestyle sub-brand using the Trefoil logo

Former holdings sold: Reebok (sold to Authentic Brands Group, March 2022, ~$2.5B); TaylorMade Golf (sold 2017); Salomon Group (sold 2005)

Adidas operates 1,800+ direct retail stores globally with significant DTC digital channels. The Three Stripes mark is protected under trademark law across multiple jurisdictions and has been the subject of numerous infringement cases internationally. The Adidas by Stella McCartney joint venture is the primary documented design collaboration. Bayern Munich: Adidas holds an 8.33% ownership stake and supplies club kits. National sports federation kit supply contracts represent substantial seasonal design and manufacturing programmes.

Adidas holds the number two position in global sportswear behind Nike. The brand competes across performance sport, streetwear, and lifestyle fashion. The Adidas Originals sub-brand (Trefoil logo) anchors the heritage/fashion product line, deeply embedded in streetwear and sneaker culture globally. Revenue breakdown: Europe 32%, North America 22%, Greater China 15%, Latin America 12%, Japan/South Korea 6%, other markets 14%.

The Three Stripes is the defining surface graphic identity of Adidas - one of the most commercially recognised and legally protected graphic marks globally. Originally acquired from Karhu Sports (1952), the three parallel stripes have been applied to shoes, garments, accessories, and equipment continuously since. The mark has been vigorously defended: Adidas sued Fitness World Trading (UK, 2003, winning on the grounds that the public could establish a link with the Adidas mark) and contested NCAA logo-size rules (1998), establishing significant legal precedent for stripe-mark trademark protection.

The Trefoil logo (designed 1971, launched 1972 for the Munich Olympics) is a secondary graphic identity applied to Adidas Originals heritage products. Its three-petal geometric form is a recurring surface motif across lifestyle ranges.

Adidas has been a primary supplier of designed sports kits - NBA (2006-2017), NHL (2017-2024), multiple football and athletics federations - producing seasonal graphic and textile design programmes for team uniforms at global scale.