Pharrell Williams's Adidas VIRGINIA Adistar Jellyfish bring a creative streak to trainer design

Adidas has teased a new pair of trainers made in collaboration with record producing legend Pharrell Williams.

The Adidas Instagram account has announced the VIRGINIA Adistar Jellyfish will land on August 18th for those who use the Adidas Confirmed app. And the pair will be available through “select retailers” from August 23rd.

Adidas recreated a tiny ocean reef in a studio to capture the underwater imagery used to tease these in-demand shoes.

They cost £225 a pair and thankfully don’t actually look like you’ve stuck your feet into a real-life jellyfish.

Adidas says the pair “evolves Adidas Originals with sculptural clarity and everyday function,” which plays out in dramatic tentacle-like swooshes that snake along the sides of the trainer.

“No overt tech: just form, flow, and Pharrell’s signature human approach to design,” is part of the pitch for this design.

The laces and toe caps also feature glow in the dark elements, referencing the bioluminescence of most breeds of humble jellyfish.

There’s more to this drop than just a pair of shoes, though. It’s just the beginning for VIRGINIA, which is pitched as a new platform for Pharrell’s exploits in merchandising.

Over at the website you’ll find both Williams’s VIRGINIA Black Yacht Rock album, which was posted in 2024, and a shop full of branded wares.

That includes everything from a beach umbrella to a disposable camera and a £900 surfboard. It’s a beach-heavy brand, and one we’re likely to see plenty more from in the future.

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