Adidas Stan Smith: A sneaker champion for over 50 years
When talking about iconic sneaker models, the name Adidas Stan Smith is often mentioned. This retro sneaker is now over half a century old. It is considered the most important model of the Adidas brand alongside the superstar. Even today, this shoe with its classic tennis silhouette is still popular and is worn with numerous outfits in everyday life.
Originally the model was dedicated to the French tennis professional Robert Haillet. After his "retirement" Adidas was able to win the first of the world rankings at that time, Stan Smith, for this sneaker, the success story of Adidas Stan Smith began.
In the sixties tennis shoes were usually made of canvas. The Adidas Stan Smith was the first full leather tennis shoe at that time. The leather surface made it more robust and durable. The design was also convincing, the shoe still shines with its understatement today. The only design elements are the three perforated Adidas stripes and the colour accent on the heel and tongue in the characteristic Fairway Green shade. This special green tone contributes significantly to the recognition value of the sneaker. Meanwhile the sneaker is also available with other colour accents.
Since 1971 the face of the exceptional sportsman Stan Smith can be seen on his tongue.
The new edition of Adidas Stan Smith
The tennis shoe originally appeared in 1963 in cooperation with the French tennis player Robert Haillet. The shoe was already a great success back then. After his career end Adidas wanted to continue this success story. Fortunately, a cooperation with Smith, the then most successful tennis player and first in the world rankings, could be concluded.
Especially in the eighties the shoe became a bestseller. Thanks to the hip-hop culture it became a real cult shoe. By 2005, Adidas had sold the model about 40 million times. He experienced a new boom with a new edition in 2014.
With the new edition, the shoe was technically overhauled for the first time. The clear form language and minimalist design have been retained, but the cushioning of the sole has been updated. The classic also appeared in a new edition in new Colorways. The original colours white and green are still available, but you can now choose from numerous Colorways. Not only are the colour accents available in new colours, the shoe itself no longer necessarily has to be white. Even a black variant has already existed. In addition, the Adidas Stan Smith is always available in current trend colours such as pastel or beige. On the website of Adidas can even customize to the shoe.
Adidas Stan Smith Boost, Primeknit and Special Editions
In addition to the various designs, various special editions have been published since 2014, which differ significantly from the original version. Within a short time, for example, the Primeknit variant with the elastic knit upper material from Adidas was sold out. The variant with Boost sole is also popular.
The influence of this tennis shoe on the fashion industry was great. Various collaborations with designers such as Pharrell Williams and Raf Simons were established, which were published as special editions and have since become coveted collector's items.
How does the Adidas Stan Smith turn out?
The tennis shoe is rather narrowly cut, it corresponds from the basic structure to the superstar. So if you already own an Adidas Superstar, you can order the shoe in the same size. Experience shows that the sneaker is slightly smaller than other sports shoes. In case of doubt you should buy the model a half size bigger.
Where can I buy the shoe cheaply?
The Adidas Stan Smith costs about 80 to 95 EUR, special editions are sometimes a bit more expensive. Especially online is the selection of designs large, there you can find with some luck also reduced models, sometimes even at half price.
Adidas Stan Smith key data
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Brand: adidas
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Published in: 1963
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Size: Narrow cut / slightly smaller
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History: First full-grain leather tennis shoe
