Adidas CEO Bjorn Gulden Tells Nike to ‘Watch Out’ as He Accepts Shoe of the Year Award at FN Achievement Awards 2023
Stephen Garner
Senior Editor
Rapper A$AP Nast presented the Shoe of the Year award to Adidas AG CEO Bjørn Gulden for the German athletic brand’s Samba sneaker at the FN Achievement Awards on Wednesday night.
While accepting his award, Gulden playfully recalled the “ironic” fact that the shoe he wore in the ‘80s to play soccer is now popular again. “It just goes to show my age,” he said. “But thank you to my team for building the heat for this product and helping to spread the message.”
Before he left the stage, Gulden had a cheeky message for Nike and its CEO John Donahoe, who was also present inside the Cipriani South Street ballroom on Wednesday night. “To the Nike people in the room, watch out,” Gulden said. “We have a lot in the pipeline… not a joke.”
The award comes nearly 75 years after Adidas debuted the Samba, which is once again having a major moment.
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Although built for the soccer pitch, the silhouette found new life among the style conscious, who also appreciate its accessible price. (The classic black and white look is priced at $100.)
And attention-grabbing collaborations with the likes of Pharrell Williams’ Humanrace label, Ronnie Fieg’s Kith, Grace Wales Bonner, Hello Kitty and others have only added fuel to the fire.
The shoe has certainly taken over social media this year. On TikTok, #adidassamba has over 832 million views, while #samba has been used 7.7 million times on Instagram.
The Samba also gained a loyal following of celebrities. Famous fans of the look include Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, Jacob Elordi, Timothée Chalamet and Hailey Bieber, among others. They’ve been seen wearing the style in unexpected ways — such as with mini dresses, long skirts and suiting — seemingly leading fashion fans to continue to adopt another TikTok trend, the “wrong shoe theory.”
For 37 years, the annual FN Achievement Awards — often called the “Shoe Oscars” — have celebrated the style stars, best brand stories, ardent philanthropists, emerging talents and industry veterans. The 2023 event is supported by sponsors Authentic Brands Group, Birdies, Caleres, Crocs, FDRA, Nordstrom, Saucony and Vibram.
