Adidas Pulls Shoe in Response to Slavery Controversy

He may not be a household name but Jeremy Scott's designs have been worn by Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Madonna and Kanye West.

By Jorge Rivas Jun 19, 2012

He may not be a household name but Jeremy Scott’s designs have been worn by Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Madonna and Kanye West. His name may become more familiar by the end of this week though… but for all the wrong reasons. On Monday night, Adidas announced they have canceled plans for a sneaker with a shackle-like ankle designed by Scott that some critics said resembled a symbol of slavery. The sneaker "is nothing more than the designer Jeremy Scott’s outrageous and unique take on fashion and has nothing to do with slavery," Adidas said in a statement. "Since the shoe debuted on our Facebook page ahead of its market release in August, Adidas has received both favorable and critical feedback. We apologize if people are offended by the design and we are withdrawing our plans to make them available in the marketplace." The Roundhouse Mid was inspired by a furry toy called My Pet Monster. "My work has always been inspired by cartoons, toys & my childhood," Scott said in a statement emailed to The Associated Press.