azed by the world around them.
ADIDAS SUPERSTAR: FROM SNEAKER TO SYMBOL
In the world of pop culture, the adidas Superstar has evolved from a mere sneaker to a powerful symbol. Originally designed in 1969 for basketball players with its iconic shell toe and durable leather upper, the Superstar has transcended its athletic roots and become a cultural icon. For the past 50 years, it has been embraced, reinterpreted, and reimagined by tastemakers, creatives, and communities all over the world. Its influence has disrupted the world of athletic style and continues to do so today.
EMBRACING THE LEGACY
With a forward-thinking approach, adidas Originals is celebrating the Superstar’s legacy with its SS25 campaign, aptly titled “The Original.” More than just a marketing effort, it is a cultural manifesto paying tribute to those who dared to stand out, challenge norms, and change the game without even trying. The campaign highlights originality as a catalyst, the spark that ignites a thousand stories. As the campaign notes, “Before there can be a thousand back, there’s always The Original.”
THE SUPERSTAR’S CULTURAL STAYING POWER
The Superstar has rightfully earned its claim to fame. Its design, with the clean three-stripe layout, sturdy shell toe, and confident simplicity, has proven irresistible from the basketball court to the sidewalk. But what truly sets the Superstar apart is not just its design, but what people do while wearing them. In the 1980s, hip hop group Run-DMC famously wore their Superstars without laces, turning their stage performances into street declarations. Their hit song “My Adidas” transformed the shoe into a lyrical artifact and represented a groundbreaking moment in sneaker culture. adidas took notice and the group became the first musical act to have a sponsorship deal with a sportswear brand. This was just the beginning.
Today, the Superstar has become a blank canvas for self-expression and self-definition. From New York to Tokyo, Accra to Stockholm, it has been embraced by skateboarders, artists, and musicians alike. Skateboarder Tyshawn Jones has carved his own path in them, while artists like Emily Barker and rappers like A$AP Nast wear them not just for style, but because they carry an energy and unspoken connection to generations of originality. The Superstar has become a global language written in leather, rubber, and attitude.
ORIGINALITY DEFINED BY PEOPLE
The SS25 campaign, directed by visionary filmmaker Thibaut Grevet, known for his dreamlike and unscripted visual style, celebrates the “one in a thousand” figures whose individuality shifts collective perception. These are not just celebrities chosen for their clout, but cultural guardians deeply embedded in the scenes and subcultures that shape how we move, speak, and dress. In Grevet’s film, Originals are not shown commanding attention, but simply existing, unfazed by the world around them.
The adidas Superstar has come a long way from its humble beginnings as a basketball shoe. It has become a symbol of originality, embraced by individuals who dare to be different and shape the world around them. And with the SS25 campaign, adidas Originals is celebrating this legacy and inspiring the next generation of originals to make their mark on the world.
