The Piggies might have had their moment, but Unheardof has found a new character to carry its ongoing story. The Cincinnati-based store just teased its next adidas Adistar Control 5 collaboration, introducing the “Doggy Runner”, a blacked-out take on the chunky retro runner inspired by founder Philip Lipschutz’s own dog, Otto.
The new project follows Unheardof’s incredibly character-driven approach to collaboration. Lipschutz’s previously turned personal history and childhood memories into footwear, most notably through the Piggy Runner series, but the Doggy Runner takes that storytelling somewhere more personal and this time the muse is a man’s best friend.
Meet Otto, the Doggy Runner
The sneakers are a predominantly black adidas Adistar Control 5, giving the pair a noticeably darker personality than the colourful Piggy Runner releases from the last years. The Adistar Control 5’s late-2000s runnung aesthetic remains intact, with its layered construction and chunky proportions providing the foundation for the brand’s latest collaboration.
The connection to Otto comes directly from Lipschutz. His own social media describes the sneaker as “Otto the doggie runner”, with Unheardof teasing the project around New York Fashion Week. The personal connection is important to the wider Unheardof approach.
It also gives the Adistar Control 5 another chapter in what has become a deep relationship between Unheardof and adidas. The Cincinnati retailer previously worked with adidas on the Rivalry and Adistar Cushion 3 before turning the Adistar Control 5 into the home of its Piggy Runner narrative. The 2026 Piggy Runner 2.0 collection used three colourways, Cupcake, Cheeseburger and Steve-O, each connected to members of Lipschutz’s childhood skate crew and limited to 2,500 pairs.
From Piggy Runner to Doggy Runner
What makes the Doggy Runner interesting is how naturally it follows that story without simply repeating it. The Adistar Control 5 has become something of a storytelling canvas for Unheardof, allowing Lipschutz to turn people, memories and now pets from his own world into physical characters.
The black colourway also marks a visual departure from the bright green, yellow and red Piggy Runner 2.0 pack. Instead of relying on a loud colourway, the Doggy Runner appears to let the darker base and character-driven details carry the concept, giving Otto his own place within the expanding Unheardof universe.
