Adidas Samba
Adidas Samba
Adidas Samba - How it all began
The original model of the adidas Samba was designed by Adi Dassler himself back in 1949. In principle, it was a football shoe, but without the studs. It was specially designed for frozen ground and was equipped with a non-slip sole. There were holes in the sole in some places to provide better grip. The model was made of black leather and had the famous three stripes in white on the side. adidas at that time designed all its football boots with a blue sole, including the Samba, which had a high recognition value. In old catalogs, the model is advertised as a suction cup shoe model Samba. Why actually Samba? It was a very early marketing coup by adidas, as the 1950 Football World Cup was held in Brazil. Besides, the name sounds phonetically the same all over the world, so nothing stood in the way of the model's triumphant advance.
In the 60s there was the first makeover of the model. The sole became white and there was a reinforcement of the toe. The color however remained the same, black leather and three white stripes. Meanwhile, the Samba also became the favorite of all recreational football players and it was used very often indoors.
In 1972 the time had come and the adidas Samba got the shape we still know today. The newly designed rubber outsole no longer had holes, it was replaced by a newly developed 3-zone sole. What remained was the iconic color scheme of black and white. In the 80s, the adidas Samba got two more sister models, which were called Mamba and Bamba. The designs were similar to the 70s Samba and were meant to meet different tastes. Another evolution of the model was the adidas Samba Super, which almost plays a leading role in the movie Trainspotting. This version was also available as a retro sneaker as part of the adidas Spezial series. The model has cult status, especially in the UK, and was an important part of the casual scene for a long time. Then in the 90s, the adidas Samba was available for purchase in white with black stripes. Countless adidas collaborators have made their mark on the Samba. Jonah Hill, Pharrell Williams and his label Human Race, jjjjound, Sporty & Rich, Pleasures, New York's graffiti legend IRAK, the Star Wars franchise, designer Wales Bonner, the list goes on and on. Over the years, they also dared to release the adidas Samba in more colors. They were also more experimental with the material. The model is also available with a suede upper or as a vegan adidas Samba sneaker. There is even an adidas snowboard shoe in the design of the Samba, one with purple velvet in the 420 version, the adidas Velosamba for cycling and a variant with knitted adidas Primeknit material.
The adidas Samba was for many years the most produced sneaker from adidas and was replaced by the adidas Stan Smith. However, it is and remains the longest produced shoe model of the brand from Herzogenaurach. Although the design is already over 50 years old, the adidas Samba has not lost its luster. On the contrary, from the original performance shoe it became a must-have for all subcultures. Skateboarders, punk rockers, football fans, celebrities, recreational kickers, everyone knew to find pleasure in this model. The moderate price and the almost indestructible quality of the model have certainly also contributed to its success. By the way, a modified version of the model is still issued today by the Bundeswehr as a sports shoe.
The adidas Samba OG is iconic and you can no longer imagine a sneaker world without it. The timeless design and its robustness have made him immortal. The model is equally popular with women and men as a sneaker. The design is timeless, the quality speaks for itself and the adidas Samba can be easily combined with everyday outfits, depending on the color.
