Wales Bonner and Adidas Are Still Cooking With Gas

Just over a year ago, Grace Wales Bonner was announced as the next creative director of men’s ready-to-wear at Hermès. The move made history, making the superstar British designer the first Black woman to lead a European luxury house; her hotly anticipated first collection is set to debut in Paris in January. It was quickly confirmed that even as Wales Bonner stepped into her role at Hermès, she’d continue to work on her beloved namesake label. What was slightly less clear is if her new position would have any effect on Wales Bonner’s ongoing collaboration with Adidas, one of the most fruitful partnerships in sneakers. But in the months since the Hermès announcement, the partnership has hardly slowed down. If anything, it’s only continued to cement itself as the gold standard for linkups between fashion houses and athletic brands. And this week, the duo drops its latest collection, another killer mix of new silhouettes and luxed-up favorites.For fall-winter 2026, Wales Bonner and the Three Stripes are bringing the BW Army and Gazelle into the fold. Neither model has received the Wales Bonner treatment just yet, though the timing is just right for the former. The BW Army has been a sleeper hit in 2026 and designers like Wales Bonner riffing on it will only serve to further elevate its profile. Her take on the OG military runner swaps trades its typical smooth leather for paneled pony hair and croc-printed leather. It comes in two colorways—a simple black and a burnt gold with rich maroon interior lining.The rest of the collection features some more familiar faces, including the Gazelle, Adizero Adios, and Wales Bonner’s signature Karintha silhouette. The latter comes in croc-stamped leather with gold-brushed eyelets, which calls to mind the designer’s beautiful navy blue Sambas from a couple years back. On the techy Adizero Adios, Wales Bonner paired an off-white suede construction with exaggerated stitching and a royal blue interior. Rounding out the group is the Gazelle in a similar colorway to the Karintha: croc-printed leather with an off-white tongue and heel tab, plus a gum sole and a royal blue lining.Alongside the shoes, Wales Bonner cooked up some of the sleekest Adidas apparel we’ve seen this year. There’s a blue jumper inspired by football kits, long a staple of the collaboration, plus a boldly striped sweater in tones of auburn, brown, and red. The designer’s takes on Adidas tracksuits remain as flawless as ever, with this collection adding a navy blue pinstriped short version to the canon. The true highlight of the clothes offering, however, is a leather zip-up blouson in a rich dark brown with Adidas stripes down the arms.The fashion world is waiting with bated breath to see what Wales Bonner delivers at Hermès, with all the resources of a historic maison at her disposal. For now, though, we’re just stoked that the new gig doesn’t seem to have abated her deep love for true-blue sportswear one bit.The Wales Bonner x Adidas Originals fall-winter 2026 collection is available now via CONFIRMED and select retailers.