Karlie Kloss on Fusing Technology With Fashion for Her Third adidas Collaboration
The supermodel reunites with the sportswear giant to design QR code-infused garments, accessories and footwear.
Karlie Kloss has joined forces with adidas for the third time, releasing a new collection of activewear.
Arriving in two installments, the range — comprised of 17 apparel pieces, three footwear styles and two accessories — fuses technology with sports and fashion, encouraging women and girls to lead a healthy and active lifestyle. The garments come with QR codes that wearers can scan to learn more about each piece.
Standout pieces include a cropped top with pixelated motifs throughout, as well as flared black pants that can be worn in all kinds of occasions. In footwear, Kloss has updated the X9000 sneaker with muted pink and black iterations. Rounding out the collection are large tote bags in black and brown.
Through her partnership with adidas, Kloss spotlights her nonprofit Kode With Klossy, which supports young women in technology. Alongside the supermodel, the campaign stars the organization’s alum and SANI founder Ritika Shamdasani.
Continue scrolling to read our conversation with Karlie Kloss on her newest adidas collaboration. Priced from $45 to $100 USD, the collection is now available at adidas’ stores.
This is your third collaboration with adidas. How is this collection similar to or different from your previous drops?
Like my previous collections, I really wanted this collection to celebrate women who are passionate about wellness and being active. They’re looking for pieces that are just as comfortable and feel fashionable whether they’re working out or meeting up with friends. The collection was also made using sustainable methods, including the use of NO DYE technology, which saves water and energy, and Parley Ocean Plastic, part of adidas’ campaign to reduce plastic waste in the ocean. Another really special similarity is that this campaign was shot with Kode with Klossy scholars. adidas has been hugely supportive of our work to offer coding education to inspire the next generation of women in STEM, and being able to feature some of our brilliant scholars with each collection has been incredibly exciting.
This latest drop infuses more technology into the pieces with a QR code that is linked to content that explains innovative tech that ties in with the collection. I’m passionate about finding new ways to merge tech and fashion so this is a really exciting next step for our collaboration and one I hope we’ll continue to build on.
Your past collaborations with adidas have involved supporting your organization Kode With Klossy to help women in computer science. What is the key message you aim to deliver with your latest collection?
adidas has been so supportive of our scholars throughout this collaboration. The campaign for this collection highlights Kode with Klossy alum Ritika, who founded her own clothing company, SANI. It’s been so incredible to work with these young women and especially in this capacity. I’m just so excited to be able to amplify their stories to inspire young women in the way that our scholars have inspired me.
A lot of the garments feature pixelated patterns throughout. What was the inspiration behind these prints? How did you decide on incorporating QR codes into the pieces?
The pixelation is essentially a blown-out QR code that feels like a visualization of technology. It represents the intersection of fashion and tech that really differentiates this collection from our previous collaborations.
Fashion and technological innovation are two of my greatest loves, and my hope is that people can recognize the potential for both spaces to merge, and how technology is integral to the future of fashion. I think this QR code is a really cool way to showcase the beginning of what’s possible, and it gives people a glimpse into the creation of this collection in a unique way.
What is your favorite item from the collection and why?
Each piece is special to me, but I have to say the sneakers are my personal favorite. Through the QR code, you get to see the story behind them which makes them feel really special, not to mention I am an avid runner!
