People are only just learning the hidden meaning behind adidas’s logo

You don’t have to be a sneakerhead to appreciate adidas’s iconic logo.

From Nike loyalists to Veja enthusiasts, everyone recognises those tell-tale three stripes. And yet, few of us actually know what the emblem really means.

In fact, it all begins in the aftermath of World War II.

A German cobbler named Adolf “Adi” Dassler founded the eponymous brand (adidas is an amalgamation of his first and last names) in 1949.

At the time, the company only produced sport’s footwear, and so the first iteration of the logo featured a track and field spiked shoe, marked with what was to become the signature three stripes.

The first adidas logo featured a field and track spike shoe, emblazoned with three stripes(adidas)

Dassler clearly subscribed to the saying “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” because the three-striped trademark would go on to appear on every adidas shoe – and, eventually, item of apparel – from then on.

And yet, it turns out, the number three has no special significance. The trio of stripes is purely the product of trial and error.

Dassler had tested several different versions and numbers of stripes and found that three simply showed up most prominently in photography.

This was, of course, essential for a new company that wanted to make a splash, as the sport’s brand notes on its website.

So where did the plant-style logo come from?

The trefoil is now used on all adidas Originals products(iStock)

In 1972, adidas branched out from just selling shoes and introduced clothes for the first time.

With the new phase came a new form of the three-stripes, this time taking the form of a floral-inspired Trefoil.

The new symbol, which is still ubiquitous today, features three leaf-shaped foils which are sliced through by the three stripes.

What about the mountain-style logo?

In 1989, the three stripes took the form of a mountain(iStock)

It only seems fitting that a brand that swiftly became shaped by the number three should introduce a third form of its symbol.

This time, in 1989, the adidas Equipment logo was created.

This now-iconic emblem features the stripes in a three-bar arrangement, which originally came about when designers sketched the three stripes according to how they’re seen from the inside of an adidas show.

However, the mountainous style of the logo is now considered to represent the “obstacles to overcome during your work to achieve your athletic goal”.

All we can say is if Dassler’s aim was to create a logo that stuck, he didn’t have to overcome many obstacles to achieve his goal.

More than 80 years since the birth of the three stripes, the emblem is still going stronger than a pair of trusty trainers.

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