Translated to “bear” in Finnish, century-old footwear brand Karhu precedes most of the sneaker world’s modern giants in history and unique designs. The most notable example of this happened early on with the brand’s first logo: the three stripes, an idea immediately purchased by Adidas to become their own iconic symbol. Despite the influence spread through their peers, Karhu created their own signature “M” logo soon after, another Finnish term meaning master and champion. Their new advancements of the 70s grabbed the attention of millions on and off the track, making their trainers standard for the Olympics and the favorites of several esteemed track coaches. Their growing resume only becomes more impressive when considering their “air” cushioning system was introduced as early as 1976, along with one-of-a-kind lacing technology two decades later. Details like these make Karhu an undeniable founding father of modern sneaker technology, and the reason why they are LIKELIHOOD’s only collaborator to date.
