The Birth of Adolf Dassler, the Shoemaker Behind Adidas

On November 3, 1900, Adolf Dassler was born in Herzogenaurach, Germany. Known as Adi, he became a sports shoemaker and the founder of Adidas. His career connected practical craftsmanship with the growing demand for footwear designed specifically for athletic competition.

From a Laundry Room to a Shoe Business

Dassler initially trained as a baker before turning to shoemaking. An enthusiastic participant in several sports, he became interested in how footwear could be adapted to the different movements and demands of individual disciplines.

In the early 1920s, he began making sports shoes in his mother’s former laundry room. In 1924, he and his older brother Rudolf registered the Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik, or Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory. Their business supplied athletes with specialist footwear and gained exposure through international competitions.

Two Brothers, Two Brands

The brothers separated their business interests in 1948. Rudolf established the company that became Puma, while Adi continued developing his own footwear business.

On August 18, 1949, Adi registered Adolf Dassler adidas Sportschuhfabrik. The name Adidas combined his nickname, Adi, with the opening letters of his surname. The new company began with 47 employees in Herzogenaurach, the same town in which the brothers had built their earlier enterprise.

Footwear Designed around Athletes

Dassler’s approach involved observing athletes and asking about their equipment. Their feedback helped guide changes to the fit, construction and performance of his shoes. This close relationship between sporting practice and product development became a defining feature of the business.

One widely remembered moment came at the 1954 football World Cup, when the victorious West German team wore Adidas boots with interchangeable screw-in studs. The tournament brought the company considerable international attention.

Dassler died on September 6, 1978. By then, the small shoemaking operation had developed into an international sporting-goods business, with a name derived from its founder’s own.