New: adidas is set to release the ‘Strong Girl’ Rivalry 86 Low with Yeo Kaa this week

It’s funny that it took this long for brands to go hyperlocal. Or it’s also possible that globalization and the nature of the business have pushed brands to go local to build brand love and loyalty. Either way, we all win — our artists get the shine and brands are put in a position to create something wonderful outside of their usual formula.

After work with Quiccs, Egg Fiasco, Jappy Agoncillo, and Von Alcantara, adidas turns into another local artist – Yeo Kaa.

Yeo Kaa, known for her candy-colored characters in states of reality, now has her work on one of adidas’ most recognizable silhouettes – the Rivalry 86 Low. To further tell a better story, Yeo Kaa faced competition, criticism, and self-doubt which made her a stronger person.

“‘Yung concept ng shoes is about strength. ‘Yung pinaka-pinaghuhugutan ko ngayon is yung feeling na akala ko hindi na matatapos yung ganong pakiramdam na masama at mabigat. But lilipas at lilipas rin pala siya at magiging okay rin ang lahat sa huli,” shared Yeo Kaa. 

In terms of design elements, the Rivalry 86 Low ‘Strong Girl’ features a couple of them:

• The off-white footwear is contrasted by bright blue and solar green stripes, which Yeo Kaa associated with her new state of calmness and freshness.
• The graphic print of the word “Strong” in Yeo Kaa’s own typeface can be found in the midsole.
• Yeo Kaa’s signature character, as seen in most of her artworks, also makes several appearances on the shoe, the most noticeable of which is stitched to the heel. Staying true to the theme, the character has its arms flexed to depict personal strength. 
• The character is also seen in the mudguard where three expressions of the character’s face are shown: surprise, happiness, and determination — emotions which reflect a journey to finding the motivation to keep fighting.
• Like the local artists before her, Yeo Kaa also took the opportunity to put her art in the shoe’s sockliners where her signature character makes its final appearance with an inscription that reads “Strong Girl Needs Rest Too.”
• Finally, Yeo Kaa leaves her mark with her name embossed on the shoe’s upper.

“Through this collaboration, we continue our commitment to support Filipino creators by giving them a platform to share their art, and the messages within it, to a larger audience. We couldn’t be happier to have Yeo Kaa as the first Filipina to design adidas footwear, and for that shoe to hold such a profound and important message of strength and rest,” shared adidas Philippines Brand Activation Manager Jen Dacasin. 

Yeo Kaa’s ‘Strong Girl’ Rivalry 86 Low marks the fifth Filipino-designed sneaker collaboration (Quiccs x Harden, Quiccs x Forum, Egg x UltraBoost, and Jappy Agoncillo x DON Issue #3). The shoe will be available in-store and online (adidas.com.ph and adidas App) exclusively to adiClub members starting October 19 (Thursday) and will retail for Php 6,800.