When originality isn’t about being the first but being the real you.
We often look at Gen Z trends and see echoes of the past — throwbacks that feel like reruns for millennials or even Gen X. From reworked music concepts to movie remakes, so much of what’s trending now feels like a “been there, done that” moment. What Gen Z now calls “OG” often isn’t the original. And that’s where we should see the shift — because for Gen Z, originality isn’t about being the first. It’s about bringing something back with an authentic point of view. It’s not about inventing — it’s about reimagining with realness.
Unapologetically you
How do you fashion an original? Even when you wear the OG, you are still labeled unoriginal— just for reviving something that wasn’t born in your generation. Nah! It’s not about who wore it first — it’s about how you wear or craft something authentically.
For Spring/Summer 2025, adidas Originals shifts focus from celebrating its cultural legacy to inspiring future generations with “The Original” – a campaign built on the powerful premise that revolutionary change begins with just one. In this campaign, we see three silhouettes that have continued to chart a course for the thousands who adopted them across cultures: the Superstar II, the Handball Spezial, and the Samba OG.
The celebrated director Thibaut Grevet, whose distinctive visual language has shaped the cultural landscape through his work, collaborated with the brand to navigate a space that brings vision, craftsmanship, and an unwavering commitment to authenticity and create something original. Grevet brings his signature style to an evocative film that captures the essence of originality. Through his lens, we witness the power of those who inspired the thousands that followed in their footsteps—told through masterful juxtapositions where the energy of the crowd sets the stage as we find each Original in their space. Behind it all, the soundtrack speaks volumes: “Only You (And You Alone)” by The Platters.
Gen Z’s wear The Original not to pretend they were the first, but to infuse it with their own unique style. It also upholds the brand’s charting a course who adopted it across cultures and generations.
The brand’s line — “It just takes one. Before there can be a thousand. There’s always the Original.” — speaks to more than just being first. Because The Original can start in any generation. It’s not about being the oldest — it’s about being the boldest. The one who shows up fully, authentically, and unapologetically you.
