"adidas samba classic,
while focusing heavily on bringing back the past, has not forsaken the future as it gears to bring back the iconic Samba silhouette in a much more updated tooling complete with Boost technology. Prepped right in time for the advent of 2019, the newest iteration — which adds an “RM” tagline to its namesake — is quite a far cry from the original as it ushers in a sleek upper, translucent blue sole unit, and some fitting branding hits. The tongue has been toned down quite a bit, as its minimal appearance is a welcome departure from the norm, extending throughout the rest of the design as overlays and accompanying panels are done up in a similar fashion. Palette is dark, keeping in line with Triple Black motifs with the sole serving as a point of contrast. Logo hits along the lateral heel, spell out the model as S4M3A, completing this more modern revival.
With all the level ups the adidas ultra boost 2.0 multicolor has received, it’s nigh impossible to surmise which is the objective fan favorite. In an effort to cover all their bases — while simultaneously ensuring no fans are left wanting in the dust — adidas is unveiling a return to the UB 2.0 patterns, adorned this time with the stars and stripes that symbolize the land of the free. Gradient patterns, a mainstay construction detail for this silhouette’s iteration, adorns the Primeknit toe box in a mix of blacks and greys with overlay cages maintaining a clean black gloss. Atop the lateral profile logo, you’ll find a blue paint with slanted star prints while the medial utilizes stripes with a bold red backdrop. Heel tabs, in white contrast webbing, match the overall patriotic color scheme in unison with the special insoles for pack that honors its muse through and through.
Although adidas has confirmed that a big focus for 2020 will be spent on its Superstar model, which turns 50 this year, the German sportswear behemoth is still finding time to show love to its other footwear offerings like the Ultra BOOST 20 or the Stan Smith Recon. Contrasting the aforementioned marquee runner’s recent Asia-Pacific “City Pack,” the court-inspired silhouette will soon add an elegant, off-white outfit to its immeasurable release catalog. Closely resembling Raf Simons’ take on the classic from late 2018, this Stan Smith dons cream tones all-throughout its uppers and bottoms. Contrast of any kind only comes at the heel and tongue – and subtly at that. Off-grey suede breaks up the tonal look on the heel tab, branded with adidas’ Trefoil logo and adidas stan smith all white text. Right below it, an embossed “World Famous For Quality” logo harkens back to a slogan previously used by the brand.
When White Mountaineering walked the runway at Paris Fashion Week last year, there was certainly a lot to digest: their seasoned repertoire of technical garments left little to be desired and the same can unequivocally be said for their latest footwear collaborations. Though Danner was among them — bringing hikers to an audience well removed from the trail — the range’s best in show may be better awarded to their newest offerings with the Three Stripes, pairs of the recently modified adidas lxcon on feet complete with metallic hardware. Utility enhanced, the silhouette adds ease-of-use to its resume, forgoing traditional laces for fasteners akin to Cobra buckles sans its many markings. Webbing crosses towards the sole — lying down as logos as well as extra layers — applying atop contrast stitching of white as seen on the navy colorway and silver on the tan, with tubing built underneath lying in the same bright white or a neon orange, respectively.
adidas always middles between futuristic and retro, sometimes blending the two with their upgraded revivals. But more recently, it seems the brand has taken a more delicate approach to their once vaulted classics, opting to instead recolor them for the contemporary audience. As has been done with their now expanding ZX line, the adidas eqt gazelle sneaker has been brought back from the late 90s in a vast array of different looks, and its latest — hued in grey and shock yellow — is set to be one of the silhouette’s most compelling in quite a long time. Its exterior leathers and underlying mesh dye to the neutral for a versatile display, with accents choosing bold as the three stripes along the side and the laces dress to the bright yellow. Elsewhere, navy blocks at both the tongue and heel counter, further complementing the rest of the palette.