Today Adidas announced their first limited-edition headphone release in collaboration with Kwasi Kessie, celebrity stylist and Adidas Runners Captain.
The headphones are a reimagining of the popular RPT-01 sport headphones, inspired by Kessie’s admiration for his home city and its ability to get through whatever comes it’s way. Kessie was particularly moved by the recent sentiment that “New York is over” and teamed up with Adidas Headphones to celebrate the city’s kinetic energy and beating heart at a time when people are questioning it.
The Adidas x Kwasi Kessie headphones are the first limited-edition release of Adidas Headphones. They are customized by hand, featuring premium blue and black leather snakeskin along the headband, a gold plated “Never On Pause” chain, housed securely in a safe that is disguised as a runner’s journal. The leather snakeskin is a nod to the malleable and fashionable nature of New York City and the adidas x Kwasi Kessie Speedfactory AM4 collaboration.
The Knockturnal: What does it mean to be collaborating with Adidas?
Kwasi Kessie: To be collaborating with Adidas is a dope opportunity. This will be my second collaboration, the 1st was the AM4 Kwasi Kessie in 2018, so this collaboration and design concept brings everything full circle. I love collaborating with Adidas because they give all the power to be the creator, so my team and I were able to do create something unique, and special for NYC.
The Knockturnal: Tell us about your vision for these headphones?
Kwasi Kessie: My vision for these headphones was to build further on the design and energy of the AM4 Kwasi Kessie, thats why the snake print is so important and serves as the cohesive thread that ties everything together. New Yorkers are not strangers to bling and gold chains, so to honor this we added the “Never on Pause” Name chain which is very NYC.
As well as the stash box and nylon dust bag, I always want everything to have more than one life and be repurposed. In NYC we need things to be versatile and functional.
The Knockturnal: How does New York influence your style / you as a creative?
Kwasi Kessie: New York influences my style and me as a creative because NYC is just magical. It forces me to be stylish because it’s one of the fashion capitals so on a daily basis you see the best of the best in fashion as soon as I walk out of my house. So it makes me want to be my jiggiest and as well as add my own creative flair to whatever I’m wearing.
The Knockturnal: What advice do you have for beginner runners?
Kwasi Kessie: The advice I have for beginner runners is to just start. I remember I ran my first my mile and it was so hard. But once I started I went from 1 mile to 3 and 3 became easier the 5 and so on. Now Im 7 x NYC Marathon finisher and Adidas runners NYC Captain. Start and be consistent and join adidas runnners for your training we got you.
The Knockturnal: What projects are you currently working on?
Kwasi Kessie: I am currently working on training plans for Adidas Runners NYC 2021, the direction of my Brand AFRICONIC, styling your favorite celebrities and a few top-secret projects for 2021. Having the support of my community is an honor, and I’m excited to share more projects in 2021.
Only 50 pairs have been made. Consumers can enter to win a pair using the Adidas Running app and running Kwasi Kessie’s favorite route, looping through the streets of SoHo and the downtown waterfront through December 22nd, sharing on social media. Full details and additional ways to win outside of NYC are available on Adidas Headphone’s Instagram here.
