Adidas Upgrades a Trio of Classic Sneakers with Premium Details

The history of Adidas goes back to 1924, when Adi Dassler and his brother, Rudolph, started manufacturing shoes out of their mother’s laundry room.

Notably, the American sprinter Jesse Owens wore a pair of the brothers’ shoes to win four gold medals in the 1936 Summer Olympics. But they weren’t called Adidas back then, and it would take until 1949 for Dassler to establish the brand we know today.

Adidas

That was the year that Dassler split from his brother (who went on to start Puma), trademarked the name Adidas and locked in what would soon become one of the most iconic symbols in the history of sportswear: three parallel stripes adorned to the sides of his company’s shoes.

To celebrate the 75th anniversary of this milestone, Adidas decided to revisit a few of its most revered silhouette — the Samba, Gazelle and Spezial — and imbue the shoes with premium detail fitting of the special occasion.

Iconic designs, premium details

The 75th Anniversary Collection currently consists of three men’s models, including the Samba, Gazelle and Spezial, all adorned with a gold-foil logo and the number “75” on the heels. Embossed on the inner lining of the shoes is the exact anniversary of Adidas’s founding, 18.08.2024.

The Samba is the oldest of the three models. Still popular today, it debuted in 1950, originally as a soccer shoe for snowy conditions, but received a redesign in 1972 to take on its current form.

Adidas

Adidas Samba OG

• $110 at Adidas

For this collection, Adidas gave it a classic black-and-white colorway similar to the original, however, the leather is “shinier and puffier,” according to Adidas. It also features a rare black outsole, instead of the typical gum rubber.

Adidas

Originally released in red and blue in 1966, the Gazelle also got an exclusive colorway as part of the 75th Anniversary Collection.

Here, Adidas gave the silhouette a mustard suede upper dubbed “Colleg Gold 2” and finished it off with black leather, laces and a textile tongue.

Adidas

Adidas Gazelle

• $110 at Adidas

Finally, there’s the Spezial, a handball shoe first released in 1979. It’s something of a cross between the Gazelle and Samba, thanks to its suede upper but streamlined profile.

The 75th Anniversary edition comes in a classic Adidas colorway, Collegiate Royal, accentuated by the white leather detailing around the laces. It also carries an embossed tongue, instead of the plain design found on the evergreen version.

Adidas

Adidas Handball Spezial

• $120 at Adidas

A red-and-white version of the trendy SL 72 rounds out the collection, however, the shoe only comes in women’s sizing and won’t be available until next month.

Pricing and availability

The three men’s models are all available on Adidas’s website for prices ranging from $110 to $120. As of writing, the Samba is nearly sold-out, with only a small handful of larger sizes still up for grabs.

The Gazelle and Spezial have close-to-full size runs but you can expect availability to shrink the longer you wait. After all, 75 years after its founding, Adidas still makes some of the most in-demand shoes in the world.

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