The Adidas Samba Craze

These days, it seems like everyone and their mother is wearing or wanting one shoe and one shoe only — the Adidas Samba. The silhouette is sleek and pairs with practically any outfit. How did this shoe go from a nostalgic and beloved soccer shoe to a streetwear sneaker staple? Well, this can be attributed to a few things. 

In the 1940s, Adidas founder Adi Dassler created the first Samba, specifically to provide traction on icy soccer fields. According to StockX, the shoe went through a series of modifications to its shape and design to adapt to other sports and iterations of soccer. In 1949, Adidas manufactured the Samba, a black shoe with three white stripes. In the 1990s, skateboarders discovered that the Samba’s sole provided great traction for landing tricks, and they adopted the shoe into their wardrobes. 

Collaborations play a large role in the resurrection of the Adidas Samba. In early 2021, Adidas collaborated with British fashion designer Wales Bonner, creating a collection that featured an Adidas Samba sneaker inspired by the designer's Jamaican heritage and the reggae and dub music scene in London during the 1970s. Bonner reimagined the shoe with a premium suede upper, translucent gum sole and colorful stitching. According to an article by Highsnobiety Magazine, the Samba’s demand rose tenfold following the release of this collection. 

Other brands have tapped into the Samba silhouette, such as Gucci. The collection features a silhouette similar to the Samba, the Gazelle sneaker, reimagined with Gucci’s signature motifs such as the GG logo and green-red green web stripe. The collaboration between the two is part of a growing trend of luxury fashion brands partnering with sportswear labels to create high-end streetwear collections. The sneakers, such as the Pink Gazelle, go for as much as $2,000 on online marketplace and sneaker reseller StockX. 

Thanks to a number of high-profile celebrities sporting the three-stripe shoe, the Adidas Samba has made its way to be the “it” shoe. The shoe’s classic design has made it a popular choice among celebrities and fashion enthusiasts alike who, in addition to collaborations like Bonner’s, have helped to re-popularize the shoe. Emma Chamberlin, Frank Ocean, Jonah Hill, A$AP Rocky and Bella Hadid have all been snapped rocking the OG Samba colorways. According to an article by Sneaker Reviews, SEO surrounding the Adidas Samba shoe demonstrates its popularity. Searches like “what shoes does Bella Hadid wear” are trending, putting the sneaker in the public eye. TikTok creators and Instagram influencers have had a big impact on the shoes’ popularity with the hashtag #adidassamba on TikTok, which has amassed more than 185 million views. 

Overall, the Samba’s versatile design makes it an easy shoe to pair with a variety of outfits, which has helped it stay relevant over the years. Plus, the modest price of the shoe, $75-$100, has only added to its popularity. The original white Sambas are currently sold out in every size from Men’s 4.5 to Men’s 13.5 on the Adidas website. The shoes have become so hard for people to get their hands on that StockX has begun hiking up the soccer shoe’s price into the $200’s. 

If you’re looking for a shoe with a similar silhouette, we recommend the Puma super Liga OG retro and the Gola Grandslam sneakers. And, if you’re feeling out the pricier side, the Eytyes White Santos sneaker might be for you.