Another day, another Adidas trainer has been hailed as “replacing the Samba”. Neck and neck competing for the title are the sportswear giant’s laceless Taekwondo, slimline Japan and Superstar styles, all of which have been seen all over the street style circuit and on social media feeds in 2025 so far.
Like its sports-inspired counterparts, the latter is steeped in history and started its life as a professional basketball shoe known as the Supergrip in 1965. Innovation during this era led to the development of the shell toe cap to protect the front part of the shoe, which became the defining feature of the Superstar when it officially launched in 1970. A decade later, the athletics-grounded trainer embedded itself in hip-hop culture, and featured in iconic photographs captured on the streets of New York by Jamel Shabazz, marking a new phase of its reign – Run-D.M.C. famously released “My Adidas” in 1986.
As for its status in 2025? Having been at the centre of collaborations throughout the Noughties – including a coveted partnership with Bape and various artists and musicians for its 35th anniversary in 2005 – the Superstar has, after a few years on hiatus, made a noticeable return. As well as the street style endorsement, last year the sneakers featured in Luca Guadagnino’s tennis film Challengers, worn by Zendaya with the film’s cult “I Told Ya” tee.
Grace Wales Bonner even reinterpreted the silhouette for her autumn/winter 2024 collaboration with Adidas Originals; in a croc-embossed cream leather with patent deep-blue croc stripes. “I wanted it to be a reflection of the wider collaboration as an elegant reinterpretation of something that feels familiar,” she told Vogue of giving the shoe a modern update. The designer’s accompanying campaign fittingly paid homage to Shabazz’s work.
Looking at recent street style pictures, the Samba’s ubiquity certainly lives on – especially amongst off-duty models. Maybe it’s a trainer that can’t be overtaken, but the Japan, Taekwondo and Superstar are certainly all in the running.
