Adidas has had to deny it appointed a former Cambodian union leader as its new co-CEO and launched a Derelicte-style collection of garments pre-worn by factory workers, as a spoof launch event at Berlin fashion week sent confusion around the fashion world.
A spoof press release, written by culture jamming activist duo The Yes Men and sent to fashion bloggers from a fake Adidas email address, announced a “revolutionary plan” for the German sportswear company, designed to “own the reality” of working conditions in the south-east Asian factories where many of its clothes are made.
Cambodian former garment worker and trade union leader Vay Ya Nak Phoan was announced as a future co-CEO alongside Bjørn Gulden, the former Puma executive who took over as head of Adidas at the start of this year.
