Spring/Summer 2026 marks a new chapter in the evolving partnership between Song for the Mute and adidas — the first step into a new discipline for the Sydney-based label in collaboration with adidas Running. For the first time, SFTM turns its lens toward movement itself, filtering the technical precision of adidas’ performance arm through sentiment and playful imperfection.
Rather than centering performance through podiums or personal bests, the collection embraces a quieter, more instinctive approach — inviting in those who may not consider themselves athletes: the early risers, the misfits, the everyday runners. Friendly, inclusive and quietly rebellious, this inaugural chapter offers a gentle entry into technical design, balancing cultural relevance with functional credibility.
Inspired by fog-heavy mornings and fractured first light, RUN 01 captures motion in its most honest state — non-elite, intimate, and grounded in routine. It speaks to the parent squeezing in a 5K before school drop-off, the commuter choosing to move through the city, and the individual rediscovering movement after time away. Not chasing medals, but a feeling — the simple joy of forward momentum.
At the core of the collection is SFTM’s reinterpretation of the adidas Running Supernova Rise 3, the brand’s flagship everyday running silhouette, designed for comfort, balance, and reliability across accessible daily distances. SFTM refines the silhouette through two grounded expressions — deep earthen tones and antiquated neutrals — complemented by a hand-drawn midsole graphic that introduces subtle irregularity, humanising the engineered form while preserving performance integrity.
The apparel offering expands across a focused Adi365 system of tanks, tees, and shorts, spanning men’s, women’s, and unisex fits. A palette of chalk white, ivory, brown, coffee, and carbon moves between aged neutrals and grounded tones, reinforcing the collection’s atmospheric sensibility.
Hand-drawn detailing flows across each garment, with seams, panels, and logos appearing sketched directly onto the fabric. Lines wander, proportions shift, and graphics remain intentionally unresolved — echoing the energy of beginning. Built within strict performance parameters, each piece is designed for the road while transitioning seamlessly into everyday life — moving between run, commute, and pause.
The campaign continues the creative dialogue between Song for the Mute and Creative Director Stephen Mann, realised in partnership with Director and Photographer Duo, Ethan and Tom. Positioned between documentary and direction, the imagery captures off-moments: breath before stride, hesitation, and quiet pauses after effort. Cropped framing and subdued light create an almost archival quality, while moving imagery unfolds like a visual notebook: fragmented, unresolved, and intentionally imperfect.
In parallel with the product’s hand-drawn language, the campaign embraces imperfection as structure — honouring the early stage of becoming. The first attempt. The first breath.