When Bella Hadid stepped out in black leather Adidas Sambas sneakers in April 2022, fashion publications everywhere rushed to download images from Getty and write strong headlines about the shoe’s resurgence Affordable sports. (Of course we are is one of them.) It was only a matter of time before millions of views were recorded with #AdidasSambas on TikTok, these sneakers were added to “Blokecore” mood boards on Pinterest and worn by the likes of Rihanna, Emily Ratajowski and get the street style stamp of approval. Hailey Bieber. A soccer shoe designed by Adidas in 1949 to give athletes a better grip has sneakily become the “it” fashion sneaker of 2022. And then again in 2022. 2023. And it shows no signs of slowing down in 2024.
I see them everywhere: On a fashion executive getting into an Uber outside the Brandon Maxwell Fall/Winter 24 fashion show; About my 19 year old brother who exclusively collects information from his TikTok and ChatGPT feeds; About a stylish older woman walking past the Nyhavn houses in Copenhagen. As a fashion editor, it’s hard not to get overwhelmed by trends that pop up faster than I can report on them. But despite living in a digital world with ever-changing algorithms and rapidly emerging viral aesthetics, Sambas still manages to cut through the noise. How exactly has Sambas refused to become a blip in the trend cycle? For those in the know, the answer is easy. Grace Wales Bonner strengthened Sambas.
(Image credit: Adidas)
What I do is quite subtle but with attention to detail.
Grace Wales Bonner in Vogue magazine
Since 2020, Graces Wales Bonner, the British menswear leader, has designed 25 pairs of sneakers with Adidas, all of which sold out almost immediately. Her label perfectly combines her Afro-Atlantic perspective with different preconceived notions of luxury. It’s sportswear with black heritage stitched into every part. Geometric-patterned tracksuits, embroidered seams and vibrant knits are all elements you’ll find in her RTW collection. Her most recent F/W ’24 show featured flannel suits, college sweatshirts and college leather jackets inspired by the archives at Howard University, while also making silhouettes Familiar sports become great. In fact, Zendaya wore a full Wales Bonner outfit British fashion magazineMay cover photo. “What I do is quite subtle, but with attention to detail,” the designer says fashion magazine in 2021.
2021 has been a banner year for the Adidas Samba, but this collaboration has certainly helped breathe new life into the classic silhouette
Drew Haines, director of sales at StockX
With a unique voice in sportswear, it was a no-brainer that a collaboration with Adidas would come to fruition. The collaboration was first previewed at London Fashion Week in June 2020 when the designer showcased her Adidas tracksuits and sneakers inspired by her Jamaican heritage. Since then, Wales Bonner has put out many iterations of the sneaker, including the Japan, Country, Gazelle, SL72 and of course the Sambas.
Four years later, Samba’s collaboration and longevity continues. “2021 was a banner year for the Adidas Samba, but this collaboration certainly helped breathe new life into the classic silhouette,” shared Drew Haines, director of merchandising at StockX. Much of the success of Wales Bonner’s partnership with Adidas lies in the British designer’s clear grasp of his design personality. Haines continues the designer’s success, “Unique materials and color schemes distinguish the collection from other collaborations, and they always perform well on StockX.” And these aren’t just new colorways that Bonner has introduced to the sneaker. It features intricate touches like lace appliqués, crochet laces, animal prints, a folded tongue, and high-gloss metals. Certain elements like metallics or leopard print may be top trends right now, but Wales Bonner is at the forefront as both have been subtle touches in previous runway collections.
(Image credit: Launchmetrics)
Drawing on the design principles of her past collections and her legacy, Bonner reminds me that even sneakers can tell a larger story, far beyond the walls of today’s fashion sphere. now. They help me push the boundaries of my style every day. I pair them with a sharp poplin dress on a rare sunny day in Bryant Park, with baggy T-shirts while running suburban errands, with a pair of comfortable pants and a classic Prada bag when going to New York. Fashion Week. On all those occasions, I felt like my best self.
It is not lost on me that Grace Wales Bonner, a black woman designer, could evoke such strong emotions through her designs, while at the same time achieving great commercial success and still being promoted into positions of higher power. In a previous installment of Who What Wear, editorial assistant Ana Escalante pointed out that “only eight creative directors of 30 leading luxury brands and leather goods houses are women, including Miuccia Prada, Maria Grazia Chiuri, Stella McCartney, Virginie Viard, Donatella Versace, Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski and Sandra Choi. Among the select few, there were no Black women. Choi, who fronts Jimmy Choo, is the only woman of color.”
(Image credit: @adidas)
She wasn’t the only one who didn’t receive her fee. Digital strategist Tariro Makoni, whose fashion analysis often reaches viral status, tells Who What Wear that Wales Bonner, along with Rachel Scott, Martine Rose and Aurora James, are all great examples about “creating resonance and connection with people”. your customers through intricate, complex and authentic storytelling,” but still get to take on higher roles in the industry. “I would like to see the industry expand towards applying this logic conceptually and theoretically. I think once that becomes the norm then it becomes clear that certain people need a seat at that table.” Until then, Makoni plans to honor these women as they build their own. And as for her ability to become a top luxury contender, her answer was simple and innately correct. “In my mind, she was already there.”
Famous data account Date but make it fashionable recently reported that despite the assumption that Samba is overdone, the style has increased in popularity by 60% in the past month. Elle UK reported that in April 2023, Adidas achieved the highest runway sales of Sambas in the retailer’s history. Given these facts, it is hard to deny that Samba’s new era is underpinned by the partnership of Grace Wales Bonner. “Each collection is more popular than the last,” said Haines of sales. It only goes up from here.
