Breaking Down The adidas Bad Bunny Forum Powerphase

Whether you’re of the school of thought that Bad Bunny will be forgotten over the next few years or that the 27-year-old has already cemented himself as one of the most important artists of all-time, one thing’s certain: the Puerto Rican superstar is having more than a moment. Sure, he fell short at the WWE’s recent Royal Rumble event, but Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio is “up” in most other aspects of his life in the public. As he and his team continue to treat fans to more dates on his stadiums-only “World’s Hottest Tour” kicking off August 5th, Bad Bunny and his adidas family have confirmed a release date for his Forum Powerphase: February 9th.

In anticipation for Benito’s first “new” design, content creators over on the adidas CONFIRMED app spoke to Rafael Mayorga, adidas Originals Design Director, to get insight into Bad Bunny’s collaborative approach, technology featured in the shoe and more. According to Mayorga, every project between the reggaetonero and Three Stripes has begun with the former’s music: how can a song’s wordplay and doble sentido (“double meaning”) be translated into footwear? For the latest endeavor, which effectively combines the upper from the adidas Forum with the tooling of the adidas Powerphase, the Puerto Rican-native and Mayorga doubled-down on the use of stacked layers that had appeared on past releases. Bad Bunny’s love of late 1990s, early 2000s skate proportions and fondness for a game titled “Catch and Throw” that he played as a child ultimately led to the upcoming sneakers’ untraditional color harmony and old school specifications.

Without further ado, here’s Mayorga’s breakdown, and don’t forget that the shoes drop on Wednesday, February 9th:

HYBRID DESIGN
1. While far from being clad in original colorways inspired by NBA teams, the upper on Bad Bunny’s next adidas shoe is borrowed from the Forum, a made-for-basketball sneaker that debuted in 1984.
2. Birthed out of the workout craze seen in the ’80s, the Powerphase (1987) lends its sole unit – done in a “vintage” style – to El Conejo Malo’s next low-top take.

A FAMILY AFFAIR
3. The top eyelet from the ZX 6000 appears on Bad Bunny’s Forum Powerphase.
4. Ghillie lacing isn’t found on the original adidas Forum or Powerphase, so it was pulled from the Marathon TR from ’79.
5. The double heel and velcro-assisted trefoil detailing drew inspiration from the archival Special-Rowing silhouette.

IT’S PERSONAL
6. The Boricua’s love fro ’90s skate footwear informed the heel’s shape.
7. El Ojo (“The Eye”) graphics – which appeared in the artwork for Benito’s first album “X100PRE” (read: “Por Siempre”) – land on the removable tongue. His birthname appears on the lateral mid-foot.
8. Snap closures allow for customization with the second tongue.

FINAL TOUCHES
9. The trefoil-branded heel tab can be fastened or removed via velcro.
10. Dillinger web, a shock absorption-oriented technology, delivers mechanical functionality and a vintage touch to the Bad Bunny Forum Powerphase.