Adidas teams up with SNEEX for the W.T.M. Forum, a sneaker project that turns Milwaukee’s identity into footwear. Eric “Shake” James, founder of the Milwaukee-based lifestyle boutique SNEEX and a longtime adidas Cornerstone Community partner, brings the project back to his city through a design built around local references. Alexander John leads creative direction, shaping a Forum that uses layered materials, textures, colors, and details drawn from the people and places that continue to shape Milwaukee.
SNEAKERS
The W.T.M. name stands for What The Milwaukee, a direct cue to the sneaker’s city-specific design language. adidas and SNEEX pull from Milwaukee’s history, neighborhoods, wildlife, food culture, and community staples, using the Forum as a tribute to local creativity, resilience, and pride. The shoe tells that story through mismatched left and right pairs, reflecting the layered character of the city through two different designs that share one idea.
Each pair comes with Summerfest 2026 tickets, giving the release a direct connection to one of Milwaukee’s key cultural events. Buyers will also receive an insert that explains the story behind each design element, giving context to the references built into the sneaker. The Forum also nods to materials and storytelling details from Shake’s previous 414 Day sneaker with adidas, extending a personal design thread tied to Milwaukee pride and his work with the brand.
Eric “Shake” James describes the project as an honest way to tell Milwaukee’s story through sneakers. For him, W.T.M. reflects the city’s culture, creativity, and pride, especially the parts that people outside Milwaukee may rarely see. He also sees the release as a way to give back to the community that shaped him and encourage the next generation to recognize value in where they come from.
adidas Cornerstone Community and SNEEX will mark the launch with June activations in Milwaukee. On June 4, the collaborators will host a youth-focused sneaker fair and customization workshop with creativity and mentorship programming for local students. On June 6, SNEEX will host an in-store launch celebration with community programming and storytelling moments tied to the W.T.M. Forum release.
The rollout continues on June 19 during Summerfest Opening Day, where adidas and SNEEX will host an on-grounds activation featuring the wider re-release of the W.T.M. Forum, exclusive access, and giveaways. On June 20, the collaborators will close the program with a Juneteenth community festival featuring 500 bikes and helmets for giveaway, along with family programming, music, food, and local initiatives.
The SNEEX x adidas W.T.M. Forum will release exclusively through SNEEX retail locations and online beginning June 6, priced at $180.
