Adidas is a sneaker brand that has been around for decades. The iconic brand got its start in 1924 when Adolf “Adi” Dassler and his brother Rudolf Dassler founded the Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory.
It wasn’t until about 20 years later, in 1949 to be exact, when the company came into full ownership by Adi Dassler, that the company was rebranded to Adidas.
In March 1949, Adolf “Adi” Dassler registered the three-stripe logo as Adidas’ trademark
The shoe brand quickly became a household name after the 1954 World Cup final, where the German national soccer team wore innovative soccer shoes produced by Adidas. The cleats boasted screw-in-studs that could be adjusted to fit field conditions.
Adidas didn’t stop creating original footwear after the success of its ingenious soccer cleats, either. Since the 1950s, the Adidas brand has created many great pieces of footwear that are both comfortable and eye-catching.
Below are some of the most popular Adidas sneakers of all time.
1. The Iconic Adidas Gazelle Shoes at Nordstrom
Of the Adidas brand’s impressive collection of shoes, the Adidas Gazelle is one of the company’s most worn sneakers.
Initially designed as a training shoe for top athletes in 1991, the iconic Gazelle sneaker has been refreshed with a sleek, narrower silhouette but retains the classic contrasting 3-Stripes and heel tab of the original and is presented in throwback archival hues
If you take a look at the shoe, it’s easy to see why it’s so popular. The simplistic design available in a multitude of colors appeals to a wide variety of tastes.
The Gazelle OG was first introduced in 1968 as an indoor soccer shoe and became the Gazelle we know today several years later
Not to mention the suede fabric choice makes this sneaker a little more durable and looks more fashionable than a synthetic alternative.
2. Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Sneakers at Farfetch
Adidas knows how to reach its customers, which is why the brand partnered with Kanye West in 2016. The American rapper brought a lot of attention to the brand and made Yeezys a hot commodity.
The Yeezy Boost 350 V2 “Red” is among the trio of colorways for the silhouette by Kanye West that was released in November 2016
The unique design of the shoe has kept customers intrigued by the shoe’s look, and the limited quantity available at one time has ensured the Adidas Yeezy stays on the map.
3. Adidas Superstar Low-Top Athletic Shoes at Adidas
The Superstar is an Adidas classic with its shell-toe design and has been a staple of the Adidas brand for the last 50 years.
This particular Adidas style became especially popular in 1986 after the hip hop group Run DMC released their single “My Adidas.”
With its roots in both hoops and hip-hop, the Superstar is a low-top athletic shoe manufactured by Adidas since 1969
In the music video, the musicians can be seen wearing laceless Adidas Superstars as they sing about the footwear brand.
4. Adidas Samba Sneakers on Amazon
Samba has a rich history with Adidas and is actually the first official sneaker released by the company. Its popularity is more common in Europe as the style was originally designed for soccer shoes.
A thick and textural sole raises the game of a classic sneaker with exposed seam details and the signature trio of bright stripes
Released in 1949, the Samba was meant to be an indoor soccer shoe that would help players perform on various types of terrain. Today, the indoor shoe is still incredibly popular and continues to be one of Adidas’s top-selling sneakers.
5. Adidas Futurecraft 4D at Adidas
Adidas hopped on the sustainability trend in 2017 with the release of the innovative Adidas Futurecraft 4D. This unique sneaker is 3D printed using Carbon’s Digital Light Synthesis technology.
Adidas Futurcraft 4D won Fast Company’s 2017 Innovation By Design Award
The progressive design wasn’t the only notable aspect of this shoe, either. The shoe was also constructed from recycled materials as a way to reduce waste in the world and reuse plastic materials.
6. Adidas Ultra Boost at Zappos
The Adidas Ultra Boost was released in 2015 and quickly became one of the brand’s top sellers. When it released the shoe, Adidas claimed the Ultra Boost was “The Greatest Running Shoe Ever.”
That’s quite a claim for any shoe brand to make, but Adidas’ impressive history and experience with shoe innovation led it to claim the title for their Ultra Boost.
The Adidas Ultraboost is designed to be the best running shoe ever made
The technology used to create the Boost brought unprecedented levels of comfort to athletic footwear. The Ultra Boost also utilizes two other major Adidas’ technologies in the torsion bar and Primeknit.
All of these technologies together in one sneaker have made a name for the Ultra Boost not just within the Adidas brand but throughout the world, as well.
7. Adidas Stan Smith at Amazon
If you’re wondering what the all-time best-selling Adidas sneaker is, look no further. Stan Smith has been the brand’s best-seller for decades and was even named as one of the overall best-selling sneakers of the 2010s.
Suranne Jones wearing Adidas Stan Smith tennis shoes
When these shoes were originally created in the 1960s, they were designed as tennis sneakers. The shoe took its name from tennis pro and Wimbledon winner Stan Smith and was a well-known tennis shoe at the time.
The style became even more popular when it moved from the tennis court to the street as a casual sneaker.
Former world No. 1 American tennis player and two-time Grand Slam singles champion Stan Smith holding a pair of Adidas Stan Smith sneakers (Credit: WENN)
Over the years, Adidas has released a few different versions of the Stan Smith, but all continue to be popular and receive applause from the world of fashion.
In 2020, Adidas celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Superstar by blending the sneaker with another iconic silhouette, the Stan Smith. The new Superstan style features design elements from both the Superstar and Stan Smith.