In the mid to late 2010s, Adidas held some territory with the American youth primarily in the form of Adidas Superstars. However, the American youth still preferred their American brands through the dominating popularity of Air Force 1’s, Blazers, Jordans, Converse and Vans.
Taking a new look into the past year and a half, Adidas has broken new ground with American youth and older populations. This effect is from the resurgence of the Sambas, Gazelles and the newer Campus 00s. We’ll look at their origins and ways to style them. Stick around for vegan alternatives that mimic the general themes.
Sambas
The Sambas are from the 1950s and were made to be indoor “football” (soccer) shoes. It’s Adidas’s longest-running shoe and is the brand’s second best-selling sneaker. It’s been adapted to fit other sports and subcultures since its start. Sambas make the following chic outfit cute for a day in the city.
Gazelles
The Gazelles were released in the late 60s. There were two variations: a blue one for training and a red one for indoor sports like handball. These shoes later gained popularity in hip-hop, reggae and Britpop spaces. The outfit below would be perfect for a dinner with friends!
Campus 00s
The Campus 00s is a 2022 bulky version of the 2000s skater-friendly ‘Campus’ shoe. The original shoe inspiration is from the 70s and was designed for basketball courts. They became more popular in the 80s with British hip-hop culture. The Campus 00s are identifiable with their suede exterior, sturdy shape and firm rubber midsole. A pair in navy blue would be perfect for a PSU game day. The outfit below is great for a comfy class look!
Trend Comparision
Another popular shoe in the Samba-Gazelle family is the Spezials. They’re similar to the Gazelles but differing in small details such as a more angular shape toe box and round instead of flat laces. The popularity of these low-tops Adidas diverges from the prevailing love of high-tops sneakers. These comparatively flat-footed shoes (especially with the Sambas) also shift from the trend of platformed sneakers.
Vegan Alternatives
Vegan alternatives to major shoe styles are hard to come by because vegan brands or shoes often focus on the “vegan” aspect and less on the style. According to the Adidas website, the Sambas, Gazelles and Campus 00s are mostly sourced from cattle. This means they’re a by-product of the cattle industry.
Buying Adidas or other non-vegan shoes second-hand is one way to avoid direct involvement in the use of animal materials. If you’re looking to avoid leather, suede and other animal-based materials in your shoes, check out the following options.
Velosamba
These are Adidas’ cycling shoes made of natural and renewable resources as per the Adidas website.
Emporia Black Satin
These Steve Madden shoes are made from Vegan materials.
Mylo Mushroom Sambas
These Adidas shoes are made of a mushroom material in collaboration with a Biotechnology company called BoldThreads.
Saye’s Modelo ’89 V-Endure
These shoes are from the vegan shoe brand Saye.
Saye’s Modelo ’70 – Orange & Green
These shoes’ fun colors are similar to certain bold color ways of Adidas’ sneakers.
What are your thoughts on these styles of Adidas shoes? How would you style them? Let VALLEY know on X @VALLEYmag!
