Type portraitPremium cottonBlackS to 4XL
The essentials: Impossible is Nothing was the slogan of the 2004 Adidas campaign Ali fronted — the line is universally credited to him, but it was written by the agency's copywriters. This tee builds his whole face out of the words of that text, in red and white, above his signature. Premium cotton 180 gsm, crew neck, heat transfer print. Black, 7 sizes S to 4XL, €29, free shipping.
The face is not printed and then captioned. It is made of words: every area of light and shadow is a fragment of the text.
Where the line comes from
The full text is a manifesto: « Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing. »
It was written in 2004 for the global Adidas campaign Ali fronted — a 50 million dollar push, the brand's biggest in six years. The manifesto is by copywriter Aimee Lehto, the closing line by Boyd Coyner, both at TBWA.
Ali never spoke those words: he embodied them. The campaign used archive footage and digital effects to put him in the ring alongside his daughter Laila Ali and athletes of the day. Twenty years on the line is still attached to his name — and this tee is where that shows.
What it looks like on
Ali's face fills the upper chest, seen head on, in close-up. It is built entirely out of words: fragments of the manifesto, repeated at different sizes and angles, form the hair, the eyes, the cheeks and the jaw.
The palette is red and white on black. At the centre of the artwork, level with the cheekbones, IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING comes forward larger and lighter — the one line fully readable at distance. Around it you can pick out it's an opinion, is not a fact, is not a declaration, is temporary, it's a dare.
Under the portrait, the handwritten signature in white runs across the full width.
The black of the fabric serves as the ground for the face: there is no frame and no outline, the words stop where the portrait stops.
Premium cotton, crew neck, short sleeves, straight cut. Plain back.
Your size
European cut — take your usual size, with no adjustment. Seven sizes, S to 4XL, all at the same price. Chest runs from about 96 cm / 38 in on a S to 132 cm / 52 in on a 4XL.
Technical specification
Technical specifications
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Frequently asked questions
Did Muhammad Ali say Impossible is Nothing?
The line is universally credited to him, but it was written in 2004 for the Adidas campaign he fronted. The manifesto is by copywriter Aimee Lehto and the closing line by Boyd Coyner, at TBWA. Ali did not say it: he embodied it, and it stayed attached to his name.
What is the full Impossible is Nothing text?
« Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing. »
What was Muhammad Ali's connection to Adidas?
He was the central figure of the global campaign the brand launched in 2004, a 50 million dollar investment — Adidas's largest in six years. The films used archive footage and digital effects to have him box alongside his daughter Laila Ali and athletes of the day.
How is the face drawn?
It is a type portrait: the face is built entirely from the words of the manifesto, repeated at different sizes and angles. The words themselves form the shadows, the eyes and the jaw — there is no photograph underneath.
Does it come in big sizes?
Yes, up to 4XL: S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL and 4XL, all at the same price. Most boxing tees on the market stop at XXL.
Which size should I take?
Standard European cut: take your usual size. Chest runs from about 96 cm / 38 in on a S to 132 cm / 52 in on a 4XL.
