Adidas critics urged to 'calm down' after brand launch new inclusive Pride campaign

People are losing their minds over Adidas' recent campaign that appears to show a man sporting a bathing suit.

This week, the sports brand launched its Pride 2023 collection, which features a model who appears to be male – but whose gender has not been specified – wearing their "Pride Swimsuit" retailed at $70 (£50).

Adidas said the campaign is "a celebration of self-expression, imagination and the unwavering belief that love unites."

The swimwear, designed by South African designer Rich Mnisi, was soon shared on Twitter, where it racked up 6.8 million views at the time of writing.

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Many more divisive opinions followed.

Former NCAA swimmer and women’s rights activist Riley Gaines chimed in: "Women’s swimsuits aren’t accessorised with a bulge."

"I don’t understand why companies are voluntarily doing this to themselves. They could have at least said the suit is ‘unisex,’ but they didn’t because it’s about erasing women. Ever wondered why we hardly see this go the other way?"

Meanwhile, others urged critics to "calm down", with one claiming bathing suits have been "a style of men's beach wear since the early 20th century."

"It's just clothing," they added.

Another said, "It's not that serious."

"Who. The. Hell. Cares. Don’t want to see it, don’t look, it’s really simple," a third penned.

One fan of the swimsuit wrote: "Who cares about the models, I love the look of the swimsuit."

In a press release earlier this week, Adidas said the collection "is inspired by a love letter Mnisi wrote to his younger self," and acts as "a rallying cry for active allyship to empower and champion the LGBTQIA+ community."

Indy100 reached out to Adidas for comment.

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