Well-known musical artists like Kanye West, Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar and Pharrell Williams have made names for themselves outside their music careers, so was only a matter of time until Beyoncé jumped on the bandwagon to branch her talents within another prosperous industry: footwear.
Starting from Destiny’s Child, Beyoncé has undoubtedly become a household name as she’s immersed into the world of entertainment and now fashion. Beyoncé has relaunched her athleisure line, Ivy Park, and paired it with footwear in collaboration with Adidas.
The campaign from the second largest sportswear manufacturer, “She Breaks Barriers”, is solely focused on elevating equal media coverage for one of the most underrepresented athletes: women.
According to Adidas, only four percent of sports coverage goes to female athletes.
This message very much aligns with Beyoncé’s ideals, as she is not only attempting to expand her brand but remain an advocate for women’s empowerment. The overall message of the 2013 self-titled album “Beyoncé” and the 2016 visual album “Lemonade” was centered around her support and encouragement of young women, which was thoroughly revealed throughout the latter album.
However, it seems as though Beyoncé is eager to adapt and appeal more to young adults through her latest collaboration.
According to the New York Times, Beyoncé considers the collaboration the “partnership of a lifetime” and touted a shared philosophy “that puts creativity, growth and social responsibility at the forefront of business.”
If you are wondering why the Ivy Park brand sounds vaguely familiar, it’s because it is. The well-known influencer initially released her popular athleisure-based brand in 2016 with Topshop, retailed at Nordstrom.
Yet in 2018, frequent accusations of sexual abuse and harassment made against Topshop’s chairman and owner, Sir Philip Green, ravaged business relations with the artist, resulting in Beyoncé cutting all business ties with Topshop. She now has full ownership of Ivy Park and is taking its act further.
Adidas’ attempt to use its sports brand’s recognition and the power of well-known social influencers to increase their seller-buyer relationship is nothing new. Kanye West’s Yeezy brand is a prime example.
Driving the company’s e-commerce up by 76 percent, Yeezy’s are a force to reckon with in today’s footwear market.
This “partnership of a lifetime” has sparked speculation of what the collaboration will exactly entail. No release date has been set, but it’s safe to say many will be ready to lace up when it is.
