adidas ZX 8000 JC & MT –
Origin, innovation, and the legend of the FINAL AZX
For our content creation, we took a trip to the adidas headquarters in Herzogenaurach. We visited the legendary adidas archive and spoke to and profiled the people who were instrumental in this release. First, of course, Jacques Chassaing, the namesake and inventor of the ZX 8000 and many other models, is the former Senior Design Director. Also present were Eyüp Alkan - Senior Product Manager, Christian Otto - Design Director, Markus Walter Thaler - son of Markus Thaler and Manager of Digital Technologies Footwear, and, of course, Marc Leuschner - CEO of Overkill and ZX enthusiast.
THE HISTORY OF THE A-ZX COLLECTION
With the introduction of the first adidas AZX series in 2008/09, adidas made a strong statement about sneaker culture, storytelling, and technical heritage. The series paid homage to the legendary four-digit ZX running line, which began in 1989 with the adidas ZX 8000 Aqua. The first three-digit model in the ZX series, the adidas ZX 500, was launched back in 1984. At that time, adidas revolutionized the running shoe market with a clearly structured performance system that combined stability, comfort, and biomechanical guidance.
The original ZX line included models that covered different performance areas. Models such as the ZX 8000 and the adidas ZX 9000 stood for maximum performance and innovation. At its heart was the Torsion System, which decoupled the forefoot from the rearfoot, supporting natural movement patterns. This was complemented by targeted cushioning, precise guidance, and stable support, all technologies that continue to characterize the ZX series to this day.
Jacques Chassaing and Markus Thaler were primarily responsible for this technical and conceptual revolution. Chassaing is considered one of the fathers of the Torsion System and shaped adidas' performance design for decades. Together with him, Markus Thaler developed the idea of a clearly structured running shoe system that offered athletes guidance while setting new design standards. The ZX 8000 Aqua from 1989 became one of the most influential sneakers of its time.
The first AZX series took up this legacy and translated it into a collaborative concept. Each letter of the alphabet stood for a partner and a model. Among the most famous releases are the ZX 9000 Wood Wood and the ZX 9000 Crooked Tongues, which are still highly sought after as collector's items today. The series combined sneaker stores, culture, and technology into a unique overall concept.
The emotional highlight was the FINAL AZX: a not-for-sale, bright yellow ZX presented in spectacular acrylic packaging. This shoe was not a release, but a statement and a final bow to the history of the ZX and its technological significance. To this day, the FINAL AZX remains a symbol of innovation, respect, and sneaker culture at the highest level. What made the model special were the hidden seams, which further enhanced the design. The color choice of canary yellow leather was another unique feature. The whole thing was rounded off with an aqua-colored midsole and, as the icing on the cake, a torsion bar in shiny gold. In addition, there was a drawer in the large acrylic box in which individual parts of the upper material and the sole were presented in white. There are many different opinions about the number of pairs produced, but it is not known exactly. However, it is believed that somewhere between 50 and 100 pairs were produced, all in sample size 8.5 or 42 ⅔, making them probably the most expensive adidas ZX available.
THE SECOND ADIDAS AZX SERIES – COLLABORATION BEYOND SNEAKER STORES
With the second adidas AZX series starting in 2020, adidas deliberately took a step further. While the first series was strongly influenced by sneaker stores as collaboration partners, the second AZX round opened up to a much broader creative field. In addition to retailers, fashion, lifestyle, and cultural brands now also work on their own interpretations of the ZX DNA.
Another clear difference: no three-digit ZX models were used in the second AZX series. The focus was therefore clearly on high-performance silhouettes such as the adidas ZX 8000 and ZX 9000, as well as the further development of the ZX 10.000, including proven technologies such as Torsion, Cushioning, Guidance, and Support. Technically, adidas remained true to the line, but in terms of design, it became bolder and more diverse.
The new collaboration partners created designs that went beyond classic sneaker aesthetics and embedded the ZX series in new cultural contexts. The second AZX series impressively demonstrated the flexibility of the ZX system, both as a performance running shoe and as a lifestyle product and creative statement.
Together, the two AZX series form a unique chapter in adidas history: a combination of technology, design, and community that continues to shape the ZX cosmos to this day and cement its legendary status.
THE REMAKE OF THE AZX FINAL – A TRIBUTE TO TWO ZX VISIONARIES
With the current release, adidas is not continuing a new AZX series, but is specifically revisiting one of the most iconic objects of the first AZX era: the legendary AZX Final. Originally unavailable for purchase, the yellow ZX was once the symbolic end of the first AZX series, presented in an elaborately crafted acrylic box and intended solely as a statement. Now this shoe is returning as a near-identical remake. The color scheme, materials, and overall look are strongly based on the original, but in extremely limited quantities, which further emphasizes its collector's value.
The release is complemented by a second model, which is influenced by the Aqua ZX 8000. While the yellow shoe has an aqua-colored sole, the blue version is combined with a yellow midsole. This design features many technical details that give the shoe a makeover without leaving its history behind. The 1989 model will thus be given a more modern interpretation in 2026. Here, too, the focus is on the classic ZX shape, performance elements such as the Torsion System, balanced cushioning, precise guidance, and stable support. Both models are deeply rooted in the DNA of the original ZX line and show how timeless the technical concept of the late 1980s still is today.
A particularly emotional detail: both shoes bear the initials JC & MT, which is a direct dedication to Jacques Chassaing and Markus Thaler, the original fathers of the ZX 8000 from 1989. While Chassaing shaped the visual and conceptual design of the ZX series, Thaler, as a pattern engineer, was largely responsible for the technical implementation. Together, they laid the foundation for models such as the adidas ZX 8000 and ZX 9000, which are still considered the benchmark for performance running shoes today.
This release is not only a return to an iconic design but also a deliberate tribute to the vision and craftsmanship that shaped the ZX line. The AZX Final is not coming back as a series, but as a clear statement—for innovation, history, and the people behind one of the most important chapters in adidas sneaker history.
