**Y-3 SPORT** Launch

ROLE: GLOBAL CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR AT ADIDAS

Overview

I led the global communications and launch strategy for Y-3 SPORT, marking the next evolution of the adidas × Yohji Yamamoto partnership. As the brand that pioneered the sport-style movement, the launch needed to reassert Y-3’s credibility with its core, fashion-literate audience while delivering global visibility and commercial impact at scale.

The programme was designed to position Y-3 SPORT as a technically credible, culturally relevant extension of the brand—rooted in performance, but expressed through fashion and editorial authority.

Strategic Approach

I built the launch around a media-led partnership with i-D, using editorial credibility as the primary driver of earned reach and brand reappraisal.

The campaign unfolded across three integrated stages:

Content creation – a hero launch film and imagery directed by Nathalie Canguilhem, premiered exclusively with i-D
Cultural moment – a New York launch event hosted by i-D founders Terry and Tricia Jones, positioning Y-3 SPORT within fashion’s inner circle
Global amplification – a syndicated print and digital editorial, including an exclusive interview with Yohji Yamamoto, supported by i-D and VICE network distribution

This structure ensured the story landed first with tastemakers, then scaled globally through trusted cultural channels.

Launch Execution

Global PR, content and partnership strategy led end-to-end
Editorial-first storytelling across fashion, culture and style media
Co-created assets designed for earned, owned and social distribution
Event delivery fully funded through partnership negotiation, maximising ROI

The New York launch event brought together senior editors, stylists, creatives and cultural figures, reinforcing Y-3 SPORT’s positioning as both fashion-forward and performance-credible.

Results & Impact

Earned coverage across 15 global markets
Editorial reach spanning WWD, Vogue, GQ, Esquire, WSJ, ELLE, Hypebeast, Highsnobiety, Complex, L’Officiel and more
8-page i-D print editorial published across 10 commercially key markets
Significant global social amplification via i-D and VICE networks
Contributed to a seasonal sell-in uplift across key retailers, with buyers citing the campaign as a driver of brand reappraisal
Delivered a best-in-class earned media return, setting a benchmark for editorial-led partnerships at adidas

Strategic Impact

The Y-3 SPORT launch re-anchored Y-3 within adidas’ innovation narrative while protecting the brand’s fashion authority. It demonstrated how editorial partnerships, cultural access and creative craft can outperform traditional launch models—delivering credibility, scale and commercial momentum without compromising brand integrity.

Y-3 partnered with I-D to create the Y-3 SPORT launch film and A-list New York screening event.

‘THERE ARE NO RULES’

Directed by Nathalie Canguilhem.

Nathalie’s visionary storytelling transforms every frame into a dynamic blend of art and emotion, which made her the perfect partner for Y-3's bold, boundary-pushing launch film.