Adidazzler

Shoot overview

This Adidazzler set is built around one simple idea: take an everyday, instantly recognisable piece (a red Adidas tracky with the three white stripes) and make it read as deliberate, confident casual fashion. Sarah Adesiyan brought the Adidas, and her posing does the rest — cool, composed, and direct without trying too hard.

Sarah and I worked together a number of times, and one of the things I’ve consistently enjoyed is seeing her style evolve from set to set. Some future posts will show that progression more clearly, but this shoot is about the impact of a single, bold choice: colour, brand geometry, and attitude in a clean studio frame.

Why this look works

Sportswear is easy to photograph badly because it can slide into “snapshot” territory. The trick is to treat it with the same intent you’d bring to editorial fashion:

1. Strong colour as the hero. The red does the heavy lifting, so everything else in the frame needs to be calm and controlled.
2. Recognisable graphic lines. The Adidas stripes are basically built-in leading lines — they give the eye somewhere to travel, even in a simple pose.
3. Expression over effort. You don’t need big movement when the styling is bold; you need presence. Sarah’s gaze and stillness give the image its “fashion” read.

Shoot focus

This set is essentially a beauty-leaning portrait series dressed as casual sportswear. The red Adidas top does two jobs at once: it gives you a bold colour block, and the three stripes add built-in graphic lines that keep even simple poses visually structured.

Rather than treating sportswear as “street”, the approach here is closer to clean studio portraiture: neutral background, controlled framing, and an emphasis on face, hair texture, and eye contact. The styling is uncomplicated, so expression and micro-gesture become the difference between a snapshot and an editorial read.

Direction notes (useful if you shoot fashion portraits)

For this kind of look, the most effective direction is usually small and specific:

• Micro changes in chin position and shoulder angle to keep the jawline clean and the eyes engaged.
• Hands kept purposeful (either completely out of frame or clearly “doing something”), so the pose doesn’t feel accidental.
• A steady rhythm: lock the “hero” portrait first, then experiment with variations once you’ve banked the essential frame.

What members will see below

The images continue below for subscribers, with more variations on the Adidas look and Sarah’s pose work.