Adidas Superstar: The History Behind The Iconic Sneaker

From RUN DMC to Kylie Jenner, the iconic Adidas Superstar has adorned the feet of celebrities from the worlds of movies, music, and fashion for years. Though long before Joseph Simmons and Darryl McDaniels rapped the timeless phrase "My Adidas!" on their 1986 single, the Superstar had long been leaving its footprint on professional sport.

The Superstar was initially designed as a basketball shoe, manufactured by Adidas in 1969. Launched as the lower-top version of its Pro Model basketball sneaker, the Adidas Superstar was the first athletic shoe to feature a full leather upper. It soon became popular with professional NBA basketball players, who enjoyed the more relaxed fit of the court sneaker.

In the 1980s, the Superstar shoe gained popularity outside of just NBA players, becoming a fashion must-have for the East-Coast USA Hip Hop community. This was a key time for the introduction of rap to mainstream culture, and also a formative time for the sneaker head lifestyle. Adidas Superstar shoes did not take long to grow exponentially in popularity, spreading from the streets of Queens to the catwalks of Paris and Milan.

Today, Adidas continues to manufacture the Superstar shoe, and it remains among the most popular athletic shoes from the iconic brand. The ability of Superstars to attract various youth cultures and fashion movements across decades has cemented its position as Adidas' signature shoe, a style that can fit into various attires and trends with ease.

To this day, the Superstar sneakers maintain their classic appearance, featuring coated leather uppers, and retain all the authentic details, including zig-zag edges in the 3-stripes, and the signature rubber shell toe design. The Adidas Superstar is one of the most sold styles from the Adidas Originals collection, and the Superstar has been fused with different cultural movements and diverse collaborations. No other product on the market today stays as honest to its old-school origins, whilst embracing the cutting edge of street-level fashion.

With streetwear becoming the dominant player on the scene since the early 2000s, the Adidas Superstar sneaker, along with its iconic shell toe, still puts its best foot forward amongst an increasingly competitive crowd.