adidas & WAF.'s Salmon Shredder Puts Nigerian Skate History on Feet

adidas' efforts within the skate world, while not as omnipresent as its flattened soccer pursuits, are still an integral part of the German shoemaker's portfolio, even if the association hovers around tangential territory.

That's what makes Nigeria's premier skatewear brand, Wafflesncream (WAF. for short), such an ideal collaborator for the Three Stripes. WAF. reimagined the Superstar ADV, adidas' first skate-focused shoe, through a peach-toned lens, with a sorbet leather base.

Beyond being a tonal stunner, the pink melodies sing a song that goes deeper than the surface to reflect the ecosystem that birthed the salmon shredder.

"People ask why the shoe is pink. Stand on the Island at the right hour, this close to the sea, and look up: the sky turns pink. That is Lagos. This shoe carries fourteen years of our community, and it carries our sky," Jomi Marcus-Bello, WAF.'s co-founder, said in a press release.

Jomi Marcus-Bello co-founded WAF. with his brother Nifemi Marcus-Bello and their friend KC Obijiaku in 2012 as a liberating balm for the country's non-existent skate scene.

For over 15 years, WAF has operated as more than just a skate collective; it's a diasporic disruption that challenges the confines of who gets to shape the narrative around skate culture.

From shredding streets never meant to see the underside of a Santa Cruz deck to turning colonial prisons into a community-defining skatepark, WAF.'s impact extends beyond, admittedly stunning, skate sneakers.

"When we started, it was a handful of kids skating whatever Lagos gave us. Nobody handed us a scene. We built one," said Jomi Marcus-Bello.

Moreover, WAF.isn't just the first skatewear brand out of Nigeria; it's also the country's first official collab with the Three Stripes. Considering adidas' global dominance, it's hard to believe the Three Stripes still has room for any more firsts, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a better brand to pop the seal. Naija no dey carry last, after all.

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