Adidas Appoint British Fashion Icon for London 2012

14 July 2010 – adidas, Official Sportswear Partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, today announces the appointment of leading British fashion designer Stella McCartney as Creative Director for its adidas Team GB ranges, overseeing the design of both athlete kit and fan wear for the adidas brand.

For the first time in the history of the Summer Games, the deal will see a top fashion designer work with a leading sports brand to design competition wear for both the national Olympic and Paralympic Teams.

adidas, which has designed and provided performance enhancing kit to Team GB since 1984, approached McCartney about the role of Creative Director to ensure that British athletes at London 2012 don’t just have the best performance kit but the most stylish too. As a result, adidas will continue to develop the most innovative technical products available with the creative design input of a British fashion icon.

Sports fans can now get in on the act as well with a special adidas Team GB lifestyle range designed exclusively by Stella McCartney. The range will launch in autumn 2010 and will incorporate both women’s and menswear collections.

This appointment is a new development for McCartney who already designs a women’s sports-inspired performance range for the brand – adidas by Stella McCartney.

On her new role as Creative Director, Stella McCartney commented: "As a British fashion designer it is an amazing, once in a lifetime opportunity to be Creative Director of Team GB as the hosting nation of the London 2012 Olympic Games."

Nick Craggs, Marketing Director for adidas UK, said: "adidas is bringing together the best British athletes performing at the Olympic and Paralympic Games with the best British designer and we are thrilled to have someone of Stella’s stature working with us in the run up to London 2012.

"This is the ultimate fusion of performance and style and we are delighted to further our relationship with Stella in this way."

Victoria Pendleton, British Olympic & World Champion track cyclist commented: "I’m a massive fan of Stella McCartney and with London hosting the Olympic Games it is really important as the host nation to set the standards. To have a British designer inputting into the British kit is going to be very special".

Andy Hunt, Chief Executive Officer of the British Olympic Association (BOA) added: "This apparel line provides an exciting opportunity for fans to connect with Team GB and show their pride and support for the athletes who will represent our nation during the 2012 Games. This partnership brings together the best in British design and creativity with Stella, the best in British sport through Team GB, and the best in performance technology through adidas. We know that how an athlete looks and feels in their kit gives them a psychological advantage when competing, and we are delighted that adidas has brought Stella onboard."

Phil Lane, Chief Executive Officer of the British Paralympic Association (BPA) said, "A home games will be an amazing experience for Britain's Paralympic athletes, so it is fitting that a top British designer like Stella McCartney is involved in the creation of the kit that the team will proudly wear in front of our home fans".

For more information contact: Sacha Oswald at 0207 413 3757

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