Alexander Wang will sell his second Adidas collaboration with a text message chatbot

By

Emily Jensen

Published
Jul 25, 2017

Alexander Wang’s second collaboration with Adidas will launch in New York City on Saturday, albeit with a catch: shoppers will have to use a text message chatbot to purchase the product.

 
Wang sold his first collaboration with the shoe brand using trailer trucks, and now the New York-based designer has taken an even more unconventional approach. Starting at 12 p.m. on Saturday, New Yorkers will have to text (917) 512-7715 to engage with a chatbot to shop the launch. Customers will also be able to get more information about the launch by following the brands’ social media channels, @AlexanderwangNY and @Adidasoriginals.
 
“Ever unconventional, Adidas Originals and Wang return to disrupt fashion’s status quo, reinventing design, communication and retail,” Adidas said in a statement. To promote the collaboration, the shoe brand also released a short video showing a bike messenger wearing a ski mask with Adidas’ trademarked stripes while putting up posters around New York City.

Wang is one of many designers to have collaborated with the German sports brand. Other recent collaborators include Kanye West, Stella McCartney and Raf Simons.
 
Wang and Adidas are not the only brands to experiment with new launch models. In June, Antisocial Social Club hosted a “dropzone” event with the Frenzy app, allowing customers to purchase the new products online only while at a specific location at a specific time.  
 
Following its New York City launch, Alexander Wang x Adidas Originals Season 2 will be available at traditional stores around the world on August 5.