Before Adidas became a global icon, it started in a laundry room. In the 1920s, Adolf Adi Dassler began handcrafting athletic shoes in Herzogenaurach, Germany, driven by a single obsession: performance. That The History of adidas: A Background of Collaboration and Innovation adidas Group The retro sneakers that Adidas hopes will be the next Stan Smiths Vintage 70'S Adidas Rekords white leather sneakers Made in Yugoslavia sz 11.5 eBay Adidas Retools One of Its Most Iconic Street Shoes with a Trail Inspired Build Adolf Dassler was one of the most visionary figures in the world of athletic footwear. Beginning in the 1920s by producing simple sports shoes, Dassler founded Adi Dassler addas Sportschuhfabrik in 1949.