Adidas cancels 'shackle' sneaker due to controversy

Designer Jeremy Scott is known for making quirky fashion choices. His designs for Adidas have included leopard print, bright graffiti-like patterns and wings on tie-dye sneakers, but it was his idea for a shoe in the Fall/Winter 2012 collection that had people talking.

The JS Roundhouse Mid for Adidas Originals featured orange shackles that fit around the ankles and were chained to the foot.

The design sparked controversy when a preview photo was posted on the Adidas Originals Facebook page on June 14, with some commenting that it evokes the image of slavery.

Written above the photo on Facebook was Adidas' slogan: "Got a sneaker game so hot you lock your kicks to your ankles?"

A spokeswoman for Adidas told Fox News the sneaker is "nothing more than the designer Jeremy Scott’s outrageous and unique take on fashion and has nothing to do with slavery."

Some 4,033 comments were left on the Facebook photo of the $350 shoe, which was supposed to hit stores in August. Plans to release the shoe have now been canceled.

Some said they would boycott Adidas if they saw these shoes on the shelves while others saw nothing wrong with the design.

"Adidas, you should be absolutely ashamed of yourselves," wrote Facebook user Dace Moore. "The mockery of oppression that has not been overcome."

Countered Facebook user Julia Sabat, "You're making too much of a hassle about this, bringing in racism when its not even intended, yes fair enough have your own opinion, but shoes do not represent slavery . . . "

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