JENNAX Redesigned adidas' Iconic Firebird Tracksuit in Latex
A seasonal exploration of material innovation.
Los Angeles-based label JENNAX is teaming up with adidas Originals to give the iconic Firebird tracksuit a striking, high fashion makeover. Serving as the designer’s first collaboration under her own brand name, this limited-edition project arrives just ahead of JENNAX’s highly-anticipated debut ready-to-wear collection next month.
Known for her boundary-pushing material experimentation, Jenna turned to an unlikely source of inspiration for the design: a ribbed shelf liner discovered at a local hardware store. Using the household staple as a mold, the designer cast latex to mimic the fine texture of traditional rib-knit fabric. The result is a clever trompe l’œil effect. From a distance, the tracksuit appears to be cozy knitwear, but up close, it reveals a sleek, sculptural latex construction.
While the silhouette honors the Firebird’s storied sportswear DNA with its signature Three Stripes, Jenna infuses a form-fitting, sculpted cut that subverts expectations. “I didn’t want to simply reinterpret the Firebird in regular latex,” Jenna explained in a press release. “I wanted to make latex look like knitwear, taking it out of its usual associations and treating it like an everyday fabric. And I couldn’t think of a better piece to do this with than the iconic Firebird.”
Unfortunately, the conceptual project will not be available for purchase. Instead, it serves as a pure design exercise in radical material innovation, offering a tantalizing preview of the inventive craftsmanship set to define JENNAX’s upcoming ready-to-wear launch.
In other news, adidas and Wales Bonner unveiled their newest collaboration.
