Trust The Process: Adidas Pharrell
Humanrace Sichona
Words by Rob Hallett
With a distinguished and illustrious career in music, fashion and footwear, Pharrell Williams has come a long way since the formation of the Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream brands in 2005. His latest unveiling in the sneaker world comes via Adidas under his new brand Humanrace. We dive into the technical details, design language and conceptual positioning behind the Adidas Humanrace Sichona and what this means for the future of footwear.
As part of a fruitful, ongoing partnership that has included the iconic Stan Smith as well as numerous NMDs, Pharrell continues his bond with the Three Stripes in the form of the all new Sichona. This original silhouette arrives with a 3D-sock Primeknit upper, Adidas’ new Futurenatural cushioning, and is the first to be branded with the complete Humanrace logo.
Edward Robinson - Creative Director of Humanrace - explains that ‘Pharrell is always asking “What are they working on?” and “What is going to be the future?”’ as he explores his relationship with the German sports company. It’s this perspective that sets this apart from other sneaker collaborations, where models or colourways may be presented before a client but the development is fully led by the footwear brand. Pharrell’s intrigue lies not in conceit, but in the processes that are being worked on - and the feeling that an object may bring - as he pushes Adidas to ‘create something worthy of a collaboration, but also worthy of the idea’ of being equipped for the future.
While initial assumptions may pitch the Sichona as the spiritual successor to Adidas’ Feet You Wear (FYW) line that began in 1996, this alignment was a natural happening in the discourse of ideas, rather than a conscious brand positioning. In order to achieve its organic form, the Sichona utilises a technique known as direct inject to create a harmonious transition between upper and sole unit. Direct inject is by no means a new technology, but is one that has been renewed and revived in the Sichona as Adidas envisions the future norms of footwear manufacturing. The process involves placing a knitted sock very tightly around a last, within a larger mould containing the negative shape of the outsole beneath it. Polyurethane is then injected into this structure, filling the empty spaces before being temperature-bonded to the knitted upper using an advanced steaming procedure. The consequential ergonomic form is something that this methodology strongly allows for, and while it is an homage to work present in the Adidas archives, it is also testament to Pharrell and his modes of thought about futureproof functionality.
According to Robinson, the resulting seamless transition between outsole and knit is down to the tolerance gained as you can ‘squeeze (knit) without damaging it’. Re-establishing this operation took ‘years and years of work from engineers, designers and manufacturers’ in order to ensure every facet of the shoe is as good as it can be. Direct injection removes the need for adhesives which inevitably break down over time, becoming brittle and losing flexibility. The dual processes used for the upper and sole respectively are all-encompassing, fit for purpose and built to last. Using the - by definition - zero-waste technique of knit and injection moulded sole construction, the Sichona is an indication of a future where only that which is needed is used in the creation of objects.
In order to reach the final product, various teams working on the Sichona pursued a seamless anatomical experience that acted as a natural extension of the body. Eric Whiting - a textile designer who worked on the knit – described the challenges developing the upper as an opportunity to ‘explore newness in both how the upper and midsole come together’, as well as to ‘rethink the levels of comfort’ that the experience of knit can create. Upon closer inspection, the knitted upper has subtle but defined panelling in the way it is constructed, with toe, mid-panel, collar and lacing all uniquely created for their individual purpose. The comfort, shape and engineering are a set of design innovations that the team ‘previously were unable to achieve’, but the 3D technology – along with the use of direct inject – has allowed for a ‘seamless transition from upper to sole’ that eliminates distraction.
Starting with the way the foot operates and the way in which we walk, the PU module is comprised of a textural ribbed midsole and letter-embossed outsole that takes its general form from the natural pressure points of the human foot. This hand-guided, computer-generated shape is the conclusion of rigorously tested placement and kerning in relation to the traction areas of the shoe. The development journey undertaken was centred on exploring sole design solutions for the future, and managing to express humanity through design in a contemporary way.
The ‘Sichona’ name is a result of Pharrell’s longstanding friendship with Dee Jay Two Bears of the MHA Nation, an affiliate of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara tribes native to North Dakota. This connection began with the inaugural Hu NMD activation and continues here, with the Sichona campaign shot and directed by indigenous creatives, featuring members of the Dakota community and marking the release as a full-circle moment within the Humanrace timeline. The word ‘Sichona’ approximately equates to ‘connecting to the earth’, essentially meaning ‘barefoot’. The way the MHA Nation use language to encapsulate expressions within a single word allows for a more substantial meaning than would otherwise be possible. This bears witness to the authenticity of the arrangement, with all aspects genuinely and wholeheartedly agreed in advance with indigenous tribe leaders. In Pharrell’s own words, the ‘primal sense of freedom’ that walking barefoot can incite ‘was a north star objective with this project’, and being able to convey that impression in a single word is an honour likely to influence future avenues of the Humanrace brand.
It is important to remember, as Robinson reminds us, that these products are not created by any one designer or developer, but are a ‘huge collective effort of investment in process and a lot of belief’. Humanrace are creating objects not for the fleeting moments of social media, but to build a foundation of knowledge and visual cues that will ‘inform the next thing the brand does, or another brand’ for that matter. This point is one that we would all do well to remember, that great product derives not from ego or self-importance but from ‘thousands of touchpoints from different people’ that work in tandem to create the final object, especially one that is hugely technology driven and that Robinson imagines ‘has really never been drawn’.
The attention to detail not just in the product itself but within its wider context has been astonishing to understand. Matt Dixon from Black Ink Projects – who worked on the packaging for the Sichona – explained that the desire to create the feeling of closeness to the earth was the blueprint for both the inner and outer box of the shoes. Relaying information and dialogue not through ink, but through debossing, embossing and laser cutting has led to a group of textures that ended up being ‘so, so pure’ in the way they present themselves. The outer box ‘almost opens like a flower’ to reveal the contents within; a culmination of design language and of ‘talking to the end user about how to interact with the product’. They considered the potential recording of the opening process, designing the outer fluting to be removed from the shot to draw attention to the printed box as it introduces itself.
When Humanrace debuted their skincare, they served a category that was largely unaddressed and intimidating to many involved in streetwear and the wider community. The offerings were very authentic to Pharrell and steeped in a design language of form, accessibility and colour. At its heart, Humanrace is a product company and you can expect the same refined execution in all of its future yields, which we hope – and expect – incudes plenty of top-tier footwear.
After a green F&F iteration was seen in the hands of Lil Uzi Vert and others, the initial public release in Royal Blue is available August 27th via Adidas Confirmed, Humanrace.com and select global retailers. As part of the launch, Adidas and Pharrell are contributing to a 10kW solar array demonstration project for the youth of Standing Rock to produce enough clean energy to power a community centre for indigenous people.