The first major project to be created at Adidas’s Speedfactory facility in Ansbach, Germany is ready to launch.
The company is rolling out the AM4 series, beginning with the AM4LDN, a shoe made for London, on Oct. 26. The shoe is tailored specifically for London and is the first of six key city locations that will have individually crafted footwear created.
In the coming months Paris, Los Angeles, New York, Tokyo and Shanghai will also have bespoke product created tailored to the unique demands, and using local market insight, of each respective city.
Adidas describes the AM4 as a step toward what the company believes will be the future of the industry. With Speedfactory Adidas is able to explore, test and co-create with consumers, as well as constantly invent and reinvent design and define the future of how the brand creates.
Each shoe is co-created using athlete data to help shape the design. During development for the AM4LDN, Adidas worked closely with a group of consumers from the city in order to gain unique insights into the specific demands of runners in London. The same process will be applied in future locations in order to create the ultimate tailoring possible for each city.
“This is a moment and another step towards the future of how we create products with athletes. AM4 represents the future of manufacturing that will see product created at greater speed, precision and personalisation,” said Paul Gaudio, Adidas global creative director.
The Speedfactory in Ansbach, Germany is now fully operational and will soon be joined by a second facility in Atlanta. Adidas says the production of AM4 footwear for all markets will be supported by both locations, but each facility’s main focus will be localized production.
“The Speedfactory story is bigger than one product. It is really an enabler for speed, precision and responsiveness. Ultimately Speedfactory will allow us to co-create unique product solutions based on individual athlete needs and desires – delivering what they want, when and where they want it,” Gaudio added.