Brands
adidas unveils Supernova revamp with advanced super-foam for daily runners
Mumbai: adidas reveals the reimagined Supernova franchise with the first of three new silhouettes – Supernova Rise. Launching in a women’s and men’s specific last, the new running shoe is designed to deliver maximum comfort and help everyday runners be distraction-free.
As per research conducted by adidas with 1,300 female runners, comfort is one of the most important criteria for everyday runners while selecting a running shoe.
Built upon insights garnered over years of delivering performance-driven running shoes for athletes across levels, the new Supernova silhouettes feature Dreamstrike, a new midsole foam that takes inspiration from Lightstrike Pro the midsole material utilised across the record-breaking Adizero franchise, but with an updated formula to offer unparalleled comfort and cushioning. To provide runners with comfort suited to their needs, the material forms the entirety of the midsole on Supernova rise and Supernova solution. However, on the Supernova stride model, it is positioned in the forefoot region alongside an EVA compound midsole.
In the Supernova Rise and Supernova solution models, the Dreamstrike midsole is complemented by a Support Rod System. Inspired by the physiology of the foot in motion, this new technology is embedded in the outsole to grant harmonized support, transition, and stability where it is needed. The Support Rod System in the Supernova solution slightly differs from that featured in the Supernova rise, with the two middle rods splinted together to offer additional support for runners who seek it. With both technologies working in tandem, Dreamstrike and the Support Rod System provide runners with a comfortable, yet well-supported running experience.
Other key features include a comfortable heel fit which uses a combination of cushioning foam and soft textile designed for maximum comfort and support. The engineered sandwich mesh and expertly crafted details ensure that all runners’ needs are accommodated.
Inspired by nature and the energy of bioluminescence, sporting a dark base of black and aurora with semi-green spark detailing, the SUPERNOVA RISE is priced at Rs 14,999 and is available for purchase across select adidas stores and online, starting 01 December 2023.
Brands
Lululemon picks former Nike executive to be its next chief
Heidi O’Neill, who helped grow Nike into a $45 billion giant, will take the top job in September
CANADA: Lululemon has found its next chief executive, and she comes with serious credentials. The athleisure giant named Heidi O’Neill as its new CEO on Wednesday, ending a search that has left the company running on interim leadership since earlier this year. O’Neill will take charge on September 8, 2026, based out of Vancouver, and will join the board on the same day.
O’Neill brings more than three decades of experience across performance apparel, footwear and sport. The bulk of that time was spent at Nike, where she was a central figure in one of corporate sport’s great growth stories, helping take the company from a $9 billion business to a $45 billion global powerhouse. She oversaw product pipelines, brand strategy and consumer connections, and played a significant role in shaping how Nike spoke to athletes around the world. Earlier in her career, she worked in marketing for the Dockers brand at Levi Strauss. She also brings boardroom experience from Spotify Technology, Hyatt Hotels and Lithia and Driveway.
The board was unequivocal in its enthusiasm. “We selected Heidi because of the breadth of her experience, her demonstrated success delivering breakthrough ideas and initiatives at scale, and her ability to be a knowledgeable change and growth agent,” said Marti Morfitt, executive chair of Lululemon’s board.
O’Neill, for her part, was bullish. “Lululemon is an iconic brand with something rare: genuine guest love, a product ethos rooted in innovation, and a global platform still in the early stages of its potential,” she said. “My job will be to accelerate product breakthroughs, deepen the brand’s cultural relevance, and unlock growth in markets around the world.”
Until she arrives, Meghan Frank and André Maestrini will continue as interim co-CEOs, before returning to their previous senior leadership roles once O’Neill steps in.
Lululemon is betting that a Nike veteran who helped build one of the world’s most powerful sports brands can do something similar for an athleisure label that has genuine love from its customers but is still chasing its full global potential. O’Neill has done it before at scale. The question now is whether she can do it again.
