We’ve been keeping a close eye on this year’s adidas A-ZX series. In case you missed it, the resurrected project sees the sportswear giant work their way through the alphabet to launch collaborations with some of the world’s biggest brands. Already this year we’ve been treated to a wide array of collaborations, ranging from Atmos and Juventus to deadHype and LEGO. This week, we land on B for BAPE, and their latest tie-up with the three stripes and LA’s Undefeated. We analysed the numbers to get a sense of what to expect from the upcoming ZX 8000 release.
BAPE are long-time adidas collaborators, having chalked up over 20 releases on silhouettes including the NMD, Superstar and Ultra Boost. And you don’t rack up that many releases without finding some success along the way, as showcased in our analysis below.
This chart shows what happens when you add the BAPE name to different adidas models. In each case, the average premium for a BAPE collab is substantially higher than the average (non-BAPE) premium for a given model. The biggest gains are for the NMD and ZX models. A non-BAPE NMD resells for just 10% above retail on average, whereas a BAPE NMD resells for 223% on average. Similarly, a non-BAPE adidas ZX typically sells for just 13% above retail, while a BAPE x adidas ZX silhouette goes for more than double retail.
As mentioned at the top of this article, BAPE and UNDFTD already have history, with 3 previous adidas collaborations released over the years. So what happens to resell prices when UNDFTD joins the party?
Looking at the data for this year so far, the averaged weighted price premium for BAPE x adidas sneakers is 41%, while the average weighted premium for BAPE x adidas x UNDFTD collaboration is 65%. In other words, adding UNDFTD to the BAPE x adidas collab results in a 1/3 boost in premiums.
Taking this a step further, we can start to break down the price premiums of specific silhouettes. The chart below shows the average 2020 price premium of different adidas x BAPE x UNDFTD collabs. The good news? The highest premium belongs to 2013’s ZX 5000 collab (109%) while the lowest belongs to the black Campus 80s (41%).
All of this adds up to what should be another blockbuster release for all three parties. BAPE’s signature camo adds serious clout to adidas silhouettes. Throwing in a co-sign from UNDFTD adds even more value, and previous ZX collaborations have proven that they are able to retain their desirability over time. It really is a winning formula.
The green colourway is available from November 14th onwards exclusively through BAPE and Undefeated and adidas Confirmed. Meanwhile, the black colourway of the ZX 8000 BAPE x UNDFTD sneaker launches on November 20th and is available through BAPE, Undefeated, and adidas.com/A-ZX.
