Adidas Originals have revealed the Bob Marley Collection – an 8-piece, off-pitch apparel range inspired by archival outfits and iconography from the musical icon’s life, music and heritage.
Rolled out a collaboration that hums with history, culture and unmistakable personality, adidas has unveiled the Bob Marley Collection — an eight‑piece off‑pitch capsule that dives deep into the world of one of music’s most enduring icons. Built in close partnership with The Bob Marley Foundation, the range carries a level of authenticity that only comes from genuine archival access. Old photographs, treasured garments and intimate reference points guided the design process, including the lilac Firebird track pants Marley wore while touring Europe, now reimagined as a centrepiece of the release.
There's a real depth of storytelling woven into every piece from the collection. A flowing wave motif runs across multiple designs, linking the rhythm of Marley’s music with the pulse of Jamaica itself. It’s a pattern that feels alive, almost sonic, reflecting both the gentle roll of reggae and the undulating energy of Caribbean culture. That sense of movement continues in one of the collection’s defining elements: the phrase “Football is Freedom.” Co‑created with The Bob Marley Foundation, the mantra captures Marley’s profound love for the game and his belief in its power to liberate, connect and uplift.
It appears prominently on the collection’s hero items — most notably the golden yellow jersey. Taking its cue from the tones of Jamaica’s flag, the shirt carries the engineered wave pattern beneath a bold repetition of the name “MARLEY.” Across the front, the “Football is Freedom” graphic drops in yellow and emerald green, giving the shirt both visual punch and emotional resonance. It’s a jersey that feels made not just to be worn, but to be lived in.
The full‑zip track jacket lands as another standout, arriving in rich emerald with the same expansive “Football Freedom” graphic stretching across the back panel. Paired with purple track pants inspired by Marley’s original Firebirds, the tracksuit bridges classic adidas DNA with a fresh contemporary edge. The result is a silhouette that could just as easily walk out of Kingston in the ’70s as out of a terrace culture photoshoot today.
The rest of the range broadens the palette while staying firmly rooted in Marley's world. A striped dress and matching tee run in green, gold and red — colours forever tied to Marley’s legacy — while red shorts carry the collection’s signature wave pattern. Two sets of crew socks and a brown‑and‑white adidas bowler bag cap off the offering, the latter feeling like an instant cult accessory. Every item is unified by a subtle but significant detail: the adidas Originals trefoil on one side, the word “Bob” embroidered opposite in flowing calligraphy. It's a quiet handshake between brand and legend.
For Sam Handy, GM at adidas Football, the collaboration was a chance to engage with history on an intimate level. He describes the process of working through tour‑era photographs and garments alongside The Bob Marley Foundation as a privilege — one that inspired a range celebrating Marley’s music, his passion for football and the spirit of Jamaica. Cedella Marley, CEO of The Bob Marley Foundation, sees the collection as a landmark moment, bringing unity, pride and her father’s enduring belief in the strength of the Jamaican people onto the global stage.
There’s also a little added intrigue surrounding the timing. When adidas revealed its slate of national‑team home kits last November, Jamaica’s was noticeably missing — a conspicuous absence that set tongues wagging. With this Marley collection now dropping, it doesn’t take a wild leap to wonder whether it’s a prelude to what the Reggae Boyz will be wearing next. If adidas have indeed taken cues from Marley’s life and aesthetic for Jamaica’s upcoming kits, the clues are all here; still, we’ll have to wait a little longer for confirmation.
Ultimately, the capsule is a cultural tribute — a salute to Marley’s legacy and an acknowledgment of the ongoing work The Bob Marley Foundation carries out for underserved communities across Jamaica. It’s a collection with purpose, pulse and presence.
And if it’s also a sign of what Jamaica’s next national‑team kit may look like? Well, that would feel like a rhythm worth repeating.
Shop the adidas x Bob Marley Collection at adidas.com
