The 404 Collective, a group of four Black-owned businesses, is celebrating Atlanta’s own personal holiday, 404 Day, with events that highlight the city’s culture, including a new Adidas collaboration with The Athlete’s Foot.
The collective, composed of Butter ATL, Atlanta Influences Everything, Finish First Marketing Agency, and the Trap Music Museum, was first formed in 2022 after years of informal partnerships. Butter ATL and Atlanta Influences Everything organized their first 404 Day celebration in 2020, and later expanded to include the other two organizations to create a unified initiative.
“We were all doing work individually, but we saw an opportunity to come together and create something bigger than what we could achieve alone,” said Brandon Butler, founder and CEO of Butter ATL.
The group has collaborated with the city of Atlanta on several initiatives, including this year’s 404 Parade. Scheduled for Saturday, March 5, the parade will begin at Peachtree Center MARTA Station at the intersection of Peachtree Street and Ralph McGill Boulevard and proceed south through the hotel district before concluding at Underground Atlanta. More than 3,000 people and 60 to 70 organizations are expected to participate.
But a cornerstone of the celebration is the release of a limited-edition Adidas Superstar sneaker in partnership with The Athlete’s Foot. The shoe, designed with input from the 404 Collective, features black nubuck suede, black snakeskin leather stripes, red heel tabs, and gold accents. Additional design elements include an “ATL” emblem, maps of Atlanta Police Department patrol zones on the insole, and peach logos on the tongues. Accessories include a “404 Day!” license plate hangtag and a lace lock resembling gold teeth engraved with “ATL.”
Sneakers have long been a major part of Atlanta’s culture, serving as a form of self-expression for creatives, entertainers, and influencers. “It’s one of the ways that we can express ourselves,” said William “Bam” Sparks, co-founder of the Trap Music Museum.
This is the first time the 404 Collective has led a sneaker collaboration. Previous 404 Day sneakers have been released by brands like Nike and the Atlanta Hawks, but this marks the first time a brand has partnered directly with the organizers of the holiday.
The project began when Adidas approached The Athlete’s Foot to spearhead a 404 Day sneaker, with the retailer serving as the lead distributor. Darius Billings, vice president of marketing and community engagement at The Athlete’s Foot, saw an opportunity to involve the 404 Collective to ensure the design authentically represented Atlanta. “We collaborated many times, met with Adidas’ product and material teams, and created something that truly reflects the city,” Billings said.
Adidas launched the project to collaborate with local influencers and ensure cultural authenticity in its designs. According to Butler, the 404 Collective was heavily involved in the design process, selecting fabrics and colors to represent Atlanta.
Sparks emphasized that the collaboration reflects a broader goal of demonstrating the power of working together. “We all bring a certain impact to the city, and that’s why we formed the collective in the first place,” he said. “This level of collaboration can be repeated, and we’re showing how to move the culture forward.”
Billings hopes this collaboration sets the stage for future projects that further engage the community. “When we collaborate, it’s about truly involving the community,” he said. “Adidas came to the people actually putting 404 Day together, and that made all the difference in creating something special.”
The sneaker will be available starting April 2 at four metro Atlanta Athlete’s Foot locations, followed by a wider release on April 4.
“We wanted to create something that truly reflects Atlanta’s culture,” Butler said. “This shoe is a celebration of everything that makes this city special.”
