The novel Adidas Samba is by no means a new shoe on the block. The Samba was first designed as a football shoe in the 1940s. The classic piece of footwear has recently started trending over the last few months, hitting over 2M tik tok views with #adidassamba. This comes after the two Adidas high profile collaborations – coupled with the timeless versatility of the shoe and we are now seeing Sambas on people like Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Kaia Gerber, Frank Ocean and A$AP Rocky.
It has been a pretty meteoric rise for a sneaker that has been around since your dad was in high school, but it is not surprising thanks to a few collaborations (with some honourable mentions being with Jonah Hill and skateboarded legend Jason Dill). However the two most notable collaborations responsible for the Sambas recent rise to fame are with Wales Bonner and Gucci. Gucci gave credibility and Wales Bonner added in the element of soul. Resulting in more eye-catching iterations that have lured in both men and women seeking the next fad of footwear.
It isn’t only the modern iterations of the Samba which have caught the eyes of influencers and fashion lovers. Gen Z are exploring the growing vintage market, with shoppers coming across the simplicity and elegance of the Samba for the first time.
Ruby Lyn says “I’ve always loved Adidas so when I would thrift, I would always be looking for some vintage old Adidas styles.†She found her first pair of Sambas at a thrift store and has been “obsessed†with them ever since.
Influencers like Lyn and Bella Hadid are including the adaptable sneaker into Y2K looks, rocking them with baggy pants, mini skirts, bustiers and cami tops.
The media (both social and mainstream) may skew the limelight of the humble Samba towards famous females like Bella, Kendall and Kaia – but these shoes are truly unisex. The understated silhouette with neutral colour iterations can be paired with almost any outfit, making them one of the hottest pairs of shoes this summer. Don’t think that because they are made to go with everything, that they can’t help you stand out. Check out the gallery below to see how to style the Samba.
