From One Original to Another: Toniah Pedersen for the adidas Originals Superstar

What does it mean to be an Original? Well according to the Oxford Dictionary, it means to be “first or earliest”, “not a copy” and as a noun, it’s often used to describe an “eccentric or unusual person”. To be Original is to break the mold, defy expectations, and chart your own unique path.

Founded by an Original nearly eighty years ago, adidas has been bringing their unique designs to the world for decades. Designs like the Superstar, Samba, and Gazelle were all created to excel in the sporting arena and they did, and no doubt adidas Originals sold millions of pairs, but that’s not what’s important or where the journey ends. Each time someone picked up one of these perennial silhouettes, they created an Original of their own, bringing their unique life experiences, story, and legacy to a generational tapestry of sporting excellence and self-expression. From London to Tokyo, from Kingston to New York City, adidas delivered an Original, but you gave a thousand back.

From Bob Marley and Kareem Abdul-Jabar to Pharrell and Wales Bonner, today we’re lucky enough to sit down with one of Copenhagen’s very own Originals, the eternally glamorous choreographer, Toniah Pedersen. With a laundry list of accolades and hard-won achievements, the cultural hip-hop connection between Toniah and icons like RUN-D.M.C. is unmistakable. Regarded as one of the most influential acts in hip-hop history, the group was the first, on a global stage, to fuse the connection between sporting legacy and hip-hop culture and they did it all in their Superstars.