The Adidas Samba has recently had a style renaissance, seen on the likes of Bella Hadid, Frank Ocean, Blackpink’s Jennie, and more. But did you know that the design dates back all the way to 1949?
Nearly 75 years ago, the Adidas Samba was one of the founder’s early designs made specifically for football athletes. Over the next few decades, the Samba would be redesigned several times for different occasions. Initially gaining popularity from FIFA, Samba shifted from the pitch to the indoor football market—but its influence didn’t end there. In the 90s, skateboarders too adopted the Samba as their go-to footwear thanks to its exceptional durability and traction.
Today, the Samba adds another identity as a versatile fashion piece, working in many occasions from sports to streetwear, and even semi-formal. Despite its versatility, what makes Samba emerge from the pack this time as a trending footwear?
To unpack that, we look back to three years ago when the Adidas Samba hopped on the collaboration bandwagon. Adidas successfully enlisted the expertise of emerging designers such as IRAK, Jonah, Pharell Williams, and more. Notably, Samba collaborated with Wales Bonner and made its way to the FW20 London Fashion Week. These significantly contributed to enhancing the product’s creative and high-fashion appeal.
Of course, we have the other reason: celebrities and public figures. When Bella Hadid and Jennie is seen in the Adidas Sambas, it’s hard to look away. Naturally, Samba went TikTok viral and became the most wanted pair of sneakers on everyone’s wishlist. In fact, the #adidassamba hashtag has amassed 278.1 million on TikTok at the point of writing.
The emergence of this classic design brings exciting news as the OG version makes its triumphant return. The SS23 Adidas Samba OG is available exclusively for adiClub members at RM569 from 17th May 2023 in two colorways online and in stores: the Core Black Upper / Core White Stripes / Gold Metallic and Core White Upper / Core Black Stripes / Gold Metallic.
Will you cop yourself a pair today?