With origins dating back to 1963, what we now know to be the adidas Stan Smith predates the birth of what we now cloyingly refer to as sneaker culture by a generation or more. And yet, it didn’t become the Stan Smith until 1978.
Few shoes can hold a candle to this iconic adidas tennis shoe, which has long since transcended the sport of tennis. The idea originally reared its head thanks to Horst Dassler, son of adidas founder Adi, who began with function in mind, but quickly realised the power of endorsement, initially working with French racquet wielder Robert Haillet. In fact it was only when Haillet retired that Dassler needed to find a replacement, eventually settling on the American Stan Smith. Even after he retired, his name remained synonymous with the shoe and the rest is history.
Worn by everyone from John Lennon and David Bowie to the usual modern-day influential celebrity types, its simplicity is its key characteristic, having rejected the recognisable 3 stripe logo of most adidas shoes in favour of perforations in a similar shape, working as both ventilation and a subtle reference to the brand itself.
Back for another season, the Stan Smith is set to keep its stranglehold on that simple sneaker aesthetic that it partly invented itself in the first place.
Check out the latest iterations here.
