Call it Slavery Chic.
Adidas tried to generate advance buzz for its new $350 sneakers last week by posting a photo of the footwear on its Facebook page.
Trouble is, the most memorable features of the JS Roundhouse Mids are ankle shackles.
“Got a sneaker game so hot you lock your kicks to your ankles?” a caption read.
The photo triggered more than 2,000 comments on the page, many angrily pointing out how offensive the particular accessory was to descendants of slaves.
“Adidas, you should be ashamed of yourselves. The mockery of oppression that has not been overcome,” wrote Dace Moore, one of the posters.
Some called for a boycott of the German sports-apparel company.
“Slavery isn’t a fashion example,” Antonio Leche wrote. “Everyone involved in this show should be fired ASAP! This is the new reason I won’t buy any Adidas anymore!”
A poster named Kay Tee wrote: “How would a Jewish person feel if Nike decided to have a shoe with a swastika on it and tried to claim it was OK in the name of fashion?”
Earlier yesterday, an Adidas spokeswoman denied any connection between slavery and the sneakers, but by last night, the embarrassed company admitted it wouldn’t be selling the shoes.
“We apologize if people are offended by the design and we are withdrawing our plans to make them available in the marketplace,” the statement said.