The Adidas Samba is one of the three stripes’ most monumental creations of all-time. It is rivaled only by the Adidas Superstar and the Adidas Stan Smith.
Although you may have seen the Sambas on the feet of some pretty prominent celebrities, the 73- year-old shoe was originally created for playing soccer. It was Adidas’ first soccer cleat specifically designed to enable soccer players to train and play on icy ground. The original gum sole had a suction design to create friction on any frozen surface. Over the last seven decades, the Samba silhouette has taken the fashion world by storm. These sneakers can now be seen on runways internationally during fashion week & on the streets of SoHo in NYC.
(Rihanna pictured above)
After the success of their first official collab in November of 2020, British fashion designer Grace Wales Bonner and Adidas, have created a reputation for dropping nothing but heat when it comes to sneakers and apparel. Their Adidas Samba collaborations have played a major part in the silhouette’s recent rise. Last spring/summer, Grace dropped a red samba pair & green samba pair!
I guess good things come in twos because Bonner x Adidas are back at it again with 2 more Samba heavy hitters for SS23!
Grace is known for her own sportswear-inspired namesake label (Wales Bonner) and her highly sought after Adidas collaborations. ( Especially her kit designs for the Jamaican National soccer team). Being of European and Jamaican descent, her work “proposes a distinct notion of cultural luxury that infuses European heritage with an Afro Atlantic spirit.”
Bonner’s newest Adidas collab has gone metallic & neutral! One Samba has a silver leather upper, a longer tongue, and crochet stripes, and the second Samba has premium white leather base, beige suede mudguard accents, and oversized tongue flaps that have co-branded badges in contrasting brown. These shoes have been highly-anticipated! When the Sambas were released on June 9th , they were also released with tons of apparel inspired by both the island's vast landscape and rich heritage.
Wales Bonner and Adidas are shifting its focus back to the sunny Caribbean. Her collection and roll out celebrated Jamaican style and the essence of the outdoors. It exemplified togetherness, shared life, and the feeling of freedom.
Make sure you all stay tuned to see what Grace Wales Bonner has up her sleeve as she continues to grow her relationship with Adidas and her brand overall!
Photo Credit:
Adidas Instagram
Wales Bonner Instagram
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