Farrell Williams has brought his brand of joy to Adidas again

By Shu Xie

Few celebrities have brought Happyness to footwear as Pharrell Williams has. His collaboration with Adidas since 2014 has been about projecting a positive vibe, whether in the clothing or footwear. At the launch of the collab six years ago, Adidas said that much of the designs “revolve around Pharrell’s idea of equality”. And, let me add, sense of colour. Truth be told, I’m not a big fan of their collaborations, but I do find the hues used and the colour pairings appealing.

Now the two names are back at it again. This time the output are slides, but not quite the Adilette. Instead, Mr Williams took Adidas’s most recognised slide and came up with something that might have been destined for the bedroom. The positively comfy-looking version, and brightly dyed, is now identified as Boost, no doubt named after the Three Stripes’ popular mid-sole. At first sight, the padded, triple-layer, adjustable upper looked a tad bulky, but once you slip your feet under, they look pleasingly proportionate. Appearance aside, these are, in fact, as comfortable as bedroom slippers.

Slides, once known as pool sliders, are now worn anywhere away from bodies of water. When I first encountered this anomaly, it was in Hong Kong a few years back. A Chinese mainlander and his girlfriend were flip-flopping in identical white pairs through Dior on Peking Road. Shortly after, as I became more aware of their popularity, I started noticing slides worn by those queueing outside Louis Vuitton or those shopping in The Hour Glass. The humble slide has clearly acquired some vestige of status, and splayed, open toes are welcome in posh places.

Pharrell Williams X Adidas Boost slides, SGD140 a pair, available at select Adidas stores and online, and Limited Edt Vault. Product photos: Adidas