Adidas ‘Handcuff’ Sneakers Cause Controversy

If you thought the $245 price tag on Kanye West‘s Air Yeezy 2s was offensive, check out Adidas’ latest kicks.

The JS Roundhouse Mid “Handcuffs” are a contemporary take on the popular Originals model with the addition of plastic cuffs– which resemble shackles– attached to the rear. The shoe giant’s tagline: Got a sneaker game so hot you lock your kicks to your ankles.

While the Jeremy Scott/Adidas collaboration won’t be available to the general public until August, many sneaker heads have already weighed in on the controversial shoe.

“I feel like if I get these and wear em [sic] den I’ll know how my ppl felt back in the 1800s # slavery,” wrote one anti-fan on NiceKicks.com. A Facebook commenter notes the lack of diversity in marketing that often leads to culturally insensitive products as such.

“I daresay that marketing & selling a shoe with a ‘chain & shackle’ accessory is a very bad idea. The ‘chain & shackle’ image has a bad connotation, that of slavery, in the African American community. I think it’s inappropriate. The idea of being chained to Adidas or any object is repulsive.”

What are your thoughts on Adidas’ “Handcuffs?” Let us know in the comments section below.

Oh, and they retail at a reported $350. Okay, go!

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