Drake may have asserted his loyalty to “checks over stripes” but the past year has been the year of Adidas, and in particular, the Adidas Samba. Back in early 2021, I actually bought myself a pair of Adidas Sambas. It turned out this was an extremely prophetic move, since approximately a year later it seemed like every cool girl (and her mom) owned a pair. StockX reported that trades of the Adidas Samba was up a whopping 553% year over year.
How did I predict this trend you ask? Well I’ll tell you.
In early 2021, when our collective hangovers from a global pandemic were starting to set in, my boyfriend and I decided to do a little staycation at the Chateau Marmont for Valentines Day. The hotel felt largely deserted, and by the end of our stay it felt like we knew all of the staff and many of the guests there. One of the guests we encountered that same weekend was A$AP Nast, and while I didn’t actually interact with him, I did notice that he was wearing Adidas Sambas and was intrigued enough to eventually purchase a pair of my own. GQ later reported that “few people have done more to put the sneaker back on the map than A$AP Nast.” Well he sure put it on the map for me, and here we are.
Luckily, we believe these low-profile retro-type-ish shoes are here to stay. Read on for four alternatives to the Samba, which offer the same effect and aren’t as overly trendy at the moment, meaning they’re less likely to become an unfortunate casualty of our rapid-fire trend cycle
Nike – Cortez
We love the retrosport vibe of the Nike Cortez. One of Nike’s OG sneakers, these shoes are incredibly classic and aren’t going anywhere. An easy, pared down shoe, that effortlessly goes with many outfits. Plus Kendrick Lamar loves them
Onitsuka Tiger – Mexico 66
If you get a moment, we recommend reading about the history of Onitsuka Tiger and it’s fascinating role in Nike’s origin story. The Mexico 66 sneaker from the brand has a very similar profile to the Samba and comes in a variety of colorways. Uma Thurman even wore a yellow pair with her infamous mustard number in Kill Bill – which is exactly how you’re planning on wearing it, right?
Puma – Super Liga
The Super Liga by Puma is perhaps the most strikingly similar shoe to the Adidas Samba. The silhouette of the shoe feels almost identical, and if you were to change the logo designs a bit, it would be hard to tell the two shoes apart. This is a great option if you’re looking for a shoe that’s as close to the Samba as possible, especially since the Super Liga comes in at a lower price point. Also, according to StockX, Puma was one of the fastest growing sneaker brands last year, with trades increasing by 326% year over year – so this just might be a great investment
Adidas Campus
With a continuation of the sporty prep theme, we have the aptly named Adidas Campus. Similar to the Gazelle, but with a slightly chunkier profile, the these sneakers have been around for a few decades now so it’s only a matter of time before they see a resurgence in popularity on the tails of the Samba and Gazelle
