Celebrities Are Obsessed With These adidas Samba Sneakers — You Should Be, Too.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Footwear News may receive an affiliate commission.
A lot of popular sneakers are inherently sporty and loved by their fans for that sportiness. But there are also some select beloved sneakers that are not just sport-adjacent, but actually sneakers for sports. The adidas Samba is one such example. Sambas are so popular among the fashion-forward that it might slip your mind that these are, at their foundation, soccer sneakers. But don’t be fooled, they do much more than dribble.
More from Footwear News
Some other uber-popular adidas sneakers are maybe more minimal or more low-key, making it a little easier to transition them to street style. Take Stan Smiths, for example. These were made as tennis shoes, but they have such a minimal construction and detailing that they don’t necessarily scream “Tennis.” The Samba is not so quiet. It is still a minimal shoe, but its main details — a rubber gum sole and a contrasting three stripes — make them feel as sporty as they truly are. Still, they have become a favorite street style shoe choice for celebrities across the style spectrum.
The sneaker is unisex and rightfully styled across genders. A$AP Rocky and Frank Ocean wear them often, styled with jeans or a classic adidas track pant. Jonah Hill loves them and even dropped his own monochrome Sambas with adidas. He tends to wear them similarly, with distressed denim or track pants or athletic shorts. Bella Hadid and Emily Ratajkowski have got to be two of the biggest fans, and, true to form, they make reliably very good (and replicable) outfits out of them. Ratajkowski styles the shoes with matching workout sets and cool dresses. Hadid goes hard on juxtaposing her sporty sneakers with more formal pieces, like when she wore Sambas and athletic socks with black tights and a skirt. Also on the list of celebrity Samba fans: Freddie Mercury, who wore them on stage with light-wash denim; Kendall Jenner, who wears them with casual shorts and button-downs; and Dakota Johnson, who wears them to bike around town in denim shorts and a beanie.
The adidas Samba has been around since the 1950s, beginning as a soccer shoe for icy conditions. It then shifted to indoor soccer, and then made its way off the field and into the world. There are a few versions of the shoe out now, but the classic version is a black upper with contrasting white three stripes on the side and a rubber gum sole. As a sports shoe, that rubber sole allowed for more traction on slippery soccer surfaces and, later, in skateparks. Sambas became a style staple in the ’90s along with tracksuits and a general trend toward cool, casual, athleticwear.
Sambas are still great for that street style approach. One, because of all that history. Two, because they are comfortable. Three, because they are easy to wear. The low-profile sneaker is sporty for sure but it still tends to be in neutral colorways and with simple changes that have evolved over time. They generally sell for around $75, but some of the different versions of the shoe will be priced differently, like the new vegan styles, which go for $100. The low construction and neutral colorways make them versatile to style with jeans and dresses or wear with more athletic clothes like track pants, shorts, and leggings.
You can snag a pair right now from adidas. They are a perfect back-to-school shoe for something easy to wear every single day.
adidas Samba Vegan Shoes
adidas Samba Vegan Shoes
adidas Samba Classic Shoes
adidas Samba Classic Shoes
adidas Samba Classic Shoes
adidas Samba Classic Shoes
Best of Footwear News
Sign up for FN's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
