Adidas and Pharrell Williams as of today, May 14th are dropping The NMD (Nomad) HU “Clear Aqua” sneaker. The two have been in design collaborations since 2014. The NMD series was first released in 2016 as part of Pharrell’s “Human Race” collection.
However, the “Clear Aqua” is coming under fire. The sneaker drew its inspiration from South Africa’s Xhosa culture, yet the shoe will not be sold in the country from which it took inspiration, as GQ reports.
The inspiration behind the shoe is literally written on it, as a text which reads “Uluntu”, a Xhosa word. This text hit has been named by some fashion-focused publications like @HypeBeast as the signature detail. The world essentially translates to “Human Race” according to GQ, which naturally connects the word to the title of Pharrell’s collection.
While drawing inspiration from other cultures can sometimes borderline appropriation, the issue here is more so confusion. Why would South Africa not be able to purchase a shoe that one of Her tribes inspired?
Mxolisi Mac Bhengu put it perfectly when he said that “The entire concept is wrong if it can’t be purchased in the country where the word originates.” It’s all good and well to draw on inspiration from different cultures, but to capitalize on it and not allow those muses to enjoy the creations is another matter entirely.
Adidas has to date not yet answered why the sneaker is unavailable in SA.
The NMD HU “Clear Aqua”
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Picture: Instagram @Hypebeast