Fashion stylist Ian Bradley initially recognized the sneaker’s roots in Jamaica’s football-obsessed reggae scene. The new generation of Samba fans have been drawn to this deep well of nostalgia. Perhaps most strikingly, they provided a rare moment of consensus: we all agreed, more or less, on what a cool shoe looked like. In those early summer days, the Samba looked as part of the city’s urban fabric as the Nike Air Force 1. By then, I was seeing Sambas everywhere: on the feet of tourists in Soho, who wear them instead of hefty walking shoes, but also on bankers in Midtown, who have seemingly moved on from Allbirds. We all work in the fashion world, or close to it-but in this case it felt like we were actually late to the party. Earlier this summer, when I met up with a half dozen friends at a downtown NYC bar after work, I counted four sets of Sambas under the table, including my own beat-up white pair, which I bought for about $75 last year.
In a men’s fashion landscape riven by flash-in-the-pan microtrends and TikTok-engineered memes, the Samba trend is pleasantly real and surprisingly universal. Which made it particularly surprising that this summer belonged to an unassuming mass market sneaker developed over 70 years ago: the Adidas Samba. The ruthless logic of hype dictates that the harder a sneaker is to get, the more desirable it is. The latest adidas Originals brand campaign is a collection of timeless stories retold for tomorrow.In the sneaker world, popularity is often directly correlated with newness and rarity. The celebrated visual artist, Justyna Obasi, captures the mythical tale of the Samba’s travels across time and space, beginning with the fluid footwork of young soccer players and ending in the many cultural scenes that have made the shoe their own.Įach film is accompanied by a set of triptych stills shot by Chadwick Tyler, with some sets featuring partners, collaborators, and friends of the brand that have helped to tell the story of the Trefoil the world over including: Zinedine Zidane, Jenna Ortega, Pusha T, Anitta, Hoyeon Jung, David Beckham, Jennie, Stormzy. First making headlines in soccer, the shoe’s low-profile silhouette and gum sole have since become synonymous with subverting trends across the globe. The self-taught moving image maker, Will Dohrn, tells the story of the iconic silhouette through the lens of a young protagonist who moves across eras – dressed in archival adidas apparel, true to the timeline – meeting pro-skate duo Mike Arnold and Miles Silvas along the way. Next, racing from podiums to skate parks around the world, though the Gazelle started as a trainer, its lightweight classic suede upper and gum sole have become symbolic of those who are willing to veer off-track in the pursuit of innovation. Wolfe's film charts this journey from court icon to cultural powerhouse, including a cameo from famed Hip-Hop group RUN DMC who shook the world wearing the Shell Toe. Built for basketball, but adopted by Hip Hop, the classic l eather Superstar changed the game the moment it stepped off the court and now its premium construction and timeless silhouette make it a ubiquitous icon. With each film and set of images spotlighting a different silhouette, the narratives of the Trefoil’s history are interwoven with the ways in which these iconic styles, born in sport, have been embraced, reinterpreted, and absorbed into culture - time and time again.įirst up, the celebrated director and founder of LoveSong production studio, Daniel Wolfe, lends his creative eye to the Superstar, as well as acting as a mentor for the other emerging directors in the series.
Addidas samba wide archive#
Celebrating this enduring story, the Trefoil returns with a new chapter, headlined by three films shot by three creative pioneers, and a selection of stills arranged in triptychs, each focusing on three timeless ‘characters’ from the storied Three Stripes archive – the Superstar, the Gazelle, and the Samba. You Gave Us a Thousand Back.”įrom sport to skate, music, and fashion, Originals have always stood the test of time. Marking the arrival of a new era for the brand, in 2023, adidas Originals pays homage to those that have continued to transport its iconic signifier – the Trefoil – to the forefront of culture, over and over again, with a new global brand platform: “We Gave the World an Original. Since it was first introduced to the world over 50 years ago, the Trefoil has lived a thousand lifetimes, trading feet with everyone, from athletes to cultural pioneers.
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