Fashion meets football with limited edition boot inspired by Japanese culture.
Now this is how you pull off a limited edition boot. Introducing the adidas Yamamoto F50 adizero, quite possibly the craziest, most beautifully insane looking boot we've ever seen. The long-term partnership between Japanese fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto and adidas is re-ignited with a huge bang and one outrageously wild result.
Seven years after the limited edition Tunit YY collection (remember those?) adidas and Yohji Yamamoto have joined forces again to create one of football's most bizarre yet epic designs. Only 2000 pairs are available globally, making these unique adizeros the ultimate collectors item.
Closely associated with Yohji, the design is inspired by the pair of imperial lion-dogs that stood guard over the gods and emperors of Japan from ancient times. Traditionally, one had an open mouth symbolising truth and truth seekers, the other a closed mouth to signify spiritual wisdom and nirvana. Bet you didn't know that.
In Yamamoto's words "I used the open-mouthed guardian saying “ah” as part of a Bhuddist mantra that indicates the beginning of the universe and all human language." Yamamoto has given the adizero f50 football boots a guardian deity for victory, protecting players on the pitch.
With minimal branding and no three stripes, adidas have given Yamamoto, the man behind the adidas Y3 fashion label, full freedom in terms of the graphical execution on the upper. Featuring artwork inspire by fellow countryman Taishi Hayashi, the result is nothing short of breathtaking.
The traditional motif of an open mouth lion is paired with a modern representation of Japan's sci-fi culture in the form of an internal clockwork assembly. Together they create a spiritual connection between the past and the future. Yep, they're absolutely mental.
The Yamamoto f50 uses the same technology as the current adizero range and enables players to be faster than ever before. Precision engineering has played an integral role in every aspect of the boot design and at 165g is one of the lightest boots on the market.
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