The History of Adidas: the Dassler Brothers, the Feud of the Century and Three Stripes

6 min read · Kiri Sneakers Outlet, Nha Trang

The Adidas story begins in the small German town of Herzogenaurach — in the laundry room of the Dassler family home, where in the 1920s Adolf (Adi) Dassler stitched his first sports shoes. Electricity was scarce, so some of the workshop machines were pedal-powered, like bicycles.

One factory, two brothers

Adi was the quiet perfectionist craftsman; his brother Rudolf, the loud and pushy salesman. Together they built the Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory, outfitted German athletes and earned worldwide recognition: at the 1936 Olympics, American Jesse Owens won four golds in their spikes.

The feud that created two giants

After the war the brothers fell out for good — they never revealed why, and it remains one of the most discussed family mysteries in business history. In 1948 Rudolf left to found his own company, soon named Puma. Adi registered Adidas — from “Adi Dassler”.

Herzogenaurach split into two camps: people would glance at a stranger's shoes before deciding whether to talk to them. The town was nicknamed “the town of bent necks”.

Three stripes and the golden era

The three stripes began as side reinforcement for the shoe and quickly became the brand's signature. In 1954 West Germany won the football World Cup wearing Adidas boots with screw-in studs — the “Miracle of Bern” made the brand a national hero.

Then came the street icons: the shell-toed basketball Superstar, the tennis Stan Smith, the running Gazelle. In the 1980s Run-D.M.C. recorded “My Adidas”, and the brand signed the first deal of its kind with musicians — the moment sneakers finally left the court for the street.

Adidas today

Modern Adidas means Boost cushioning, eco lines made from recycled ocean plastic, and endless reissues of the classics. Superstars and Stan Smiths fit close to true size, and the brand's last is on average a touch wider than Nike's — which suits many feet better.

The best way to compare both brands on your own feet is in person — come by for a fitting.