adidas Superstar

The origin of a classic

The adidas Superstar emerged in the late 1960s as an idea from Horst Dassler, son of adidas's founder, aiming to conquer the U.S. market in a sport not widely played in Germany at the time: basketball. While the Dasslers had already ventured into basketball with early designs for U.S. military personnel stationed in Germany, this time they aimed for a more ambitious approach.

Everything changed in 1960 when Horst Dassler witnessed basketball up close through what was considered the best U.S. team in history at that time. During the Rome Olympics, this team, led by figures like Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Jerry Lucas, and Walt Bellamy, dominated the tournament with an average lead of 42 points per game.

Alongside Chris Severn, a former adidas distributor in the U.S., Dassler set out to create a leather model to compete with the canvas sneakers of the time. Their first proposal, the adidas Supergrip, evolved into the adidas Superstar, with its most distinctive feature being the "shell toe," a rubber toe cap designed for added durability and stability. Without major advertising campaigns, adidas managed to have 75% of NBA players adopt the adidas Superstar (or its high-top version, the adidas ProModel).

The connection to the streets

In the 1980s, the adidas Superstar, though already a veteran, found new life in urban cultures. It first stood out in streetball as an almost indestructible sneaker. Soon after, some players began dancing during their free time between games, positioning it as an essential model for hip hop.

The defining moment came when Run DMC adopted the Superstar as part of their signature look, cementing its status as a hip-hop icon. Since then, the Superstar’s connection to the streets has allowed it to evolve into other realms such as skateboarding and fashion.

Renowned artists and designers have created collaborations inspired by the adidas Superstar, further enhancing its legacy. Notable names include Prada, BAPE, Pharrell Williams, Union, NBHD, Lee Quiñones, Jeremy Scott, and Edison Chen (CLOT).

adidas Superstar at FOOTDISTRICT

The history of the adidas Superstar and its various editions has a dedicated space at FOOTDISTRICT. Find them in the most classic colors or explore the latest collections and exclusive collaborations.