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The Adidas Gazelle is the most successful retro sneaker from Adidas.

The Adidas Gazelle is the third retro phenomenon of recent years after the Adidas Stan Smith and the Adidas Superstar. The history of this shoe began in the sixties as a sports shoe. But soon he became a lifestyle sneaker, celebrating great success with influential personalities like Kate Moss and Michael Jackson.

Undoubtedly, this model is one of the most popular sneakers Adidas has ever launched. The secret lies certainly in the simplicity, because compared to many other sports shoes, the Adidas Gazelle is quite simple. This simple silhouette is perhaps the secret of his success.

The origin of the sneaker

There is much discussion about how the name of the shoe originated and what its original purpose was. One possible interpretation is that it is a running shoe for the US sprinter Wilma Rudolph. Wilma Rudolph won three gold medals in Adidas shoes in Rome in 1960, nicknamed "The Black Gazelle". The fact that Wilma had already retired from competitive sport 4 years before the introduction of the shoe in 1966 speaks against this theory.

Adidas tested the shoe with the West German national football team and with international handball players. This fact speaks rather for the theory that the sneaker was intended as a universal sports shoe. In addition, other Adidas training shoes named after fast animals such as jaguar or panther appeared at this time.

What makes the Adidas Gazelle so special?

Beside the simple and timeless design there are some features that make this sneaker special. The Adidas Gazelle was the first Adidas suede shoe. Suede is smoother and lighter than smooth leather, yet provides the foot with sufficient protection and support.

When the shoe was launched in 1966, it was available in two colors: blue with white stripes and red with white stripes. However, the two shoe models differed not only in colour, but also in the outer soles. The red model had a non-slip, transparent rubber sole with a grooved wave pattern. This shoe was ideal for outdoor use. The blue model, on the other hand, had a microcellular wave sole, which is particularly suitable for indoor sports. It was a rubber sole with integrated, small air bubbles, which provided a stronger damping. The wave pattern gave the foot stability even on smooth hall floors.

Adidas Gazelle in the 1970s and 1980s

In the 70s the Adidas Gazelle was one of the most popular sneakers. Adidas launched the model with different outsoles and new details. One of these details was a soft heel strap to protect the Achilles tendon.

In 1972, the shoe with the hexagonal microcell sole appeared, which at the time was considered the most modern outsole from Adidas.

Adidas still produced the shoe in the 1980s. The popularity of the sneaker was unbroken, it was worn as a universal sports shoe and casual shoe equally. In Europe, however, the Adidas Gazelle did not appear until the early 1090s in a broader colour palette and also in striking shades.

In 2016, the Gazelle became a retro sneaker.

In 2016, Adidas decided to relaunch the Adidas Gazelle on a grand scale. Already in the years before the new editions of the classics Stan Smith and Superstar had succeeded successfully.

In 2016 the Adidas Gazelle appeared in new colours and designs. Besides the constantly changing fashion colors, the sneaker is also available in its original Colorways, in blue and red with white stripes. The popularity of this retro sneaker is still unbroken. The shoe is comfortable and robust and fits with its simple design to many outfits. Online you will find the largest selection of designs. In some online shops you can buy this sneaker classic from Adidas at a good price with a little luck.

Brand: adidas
Published in: 1966
History: Most Successful adidas Retro Sneaker from adidas
Fit: Dimensionally accurate