Very few sneakers have made as much of an impact on culture as the Adidas Samba has. First introduced as a football shoe, the sneaker icon has such a rich history that it can be accredited to a handful of subcultures worldwide, such as skateboarding, streetwear, and more. Rooted in sports but making an impression on the fashion industry, the Adidas Samba is considered one of the most iconic sneakers ever. Following closely behind the Stan Smith, Gazelle, and Superstar in popularity, the Adidas Samba Sneaker’s roots have transcended the game of football into a classic style and common thread of cultural importance over the years. Tracing back to its football history to its latest adaptations and collabs over seven decades later, the Adidas Samba’s classic design will forever be associated with lifestyle wear.

The Adidas Originals Samba OG is now available exclusively at all FEATURE retail locations. For store hours, click here. Keep reading for a more in-depth look at the history of the Adidas Samba OG and its key characteristics that make it a crowd favorite in footwear.

A BRIEF HISTORY

First produced in 1949, the Adidas Samba was designed by none other than the Adidas brand founder, Adi Dassler (not to be confused with his brother, Rudolf Dassler, who went on to establish Puma). Before becoming one of Adidas’ best sellers and longest-running models in production, the original Samba sneakers were created to assist football players in training on the icy ground (we can thank the suction design on the gum outsole for this). The original sporty design also featured the classic three stripes aesthetic and gold trefoil on the foldable tongue. Earlier iterations of the Samba incorporated a kangaroo leather upper and a gumsole. Although it was crafted with the harsh reality of European winters, the shoe debuted in 1950 at the Fifa World Cup in Brazil, which is the reason for the shoe’s name. It drew inspiration from the indigenous Brazillian dance and music genre.

After its initial debut to the public, the Samba underwent a handful of redesigns, and the shoe began rapidly transitioning from the pitch, becoming a favorite among indoor soccer players. Adidas would develop a version created to be worn as an indoor soccer shoe called the Adidas Samba Classic. Besides transitioning to indoor soccer, the Adidas Samba Shoe began conquering the streets as a lifestyle sneaker once the ‘70s and ‘80s rolled around and became a common sight in the music scene. As time passed, the skate community discovered the silhouette for themselves, and Adidas developed their own Samba-inspired skate shoe in 2006, called the Samba ADV. Other notable Samba iterations include the Samba Vegan, Velosamba, Samba Recon LT, Samba Super, Samba Rose (a women’s-sized iteration), and Samba RM.

A CLOSER LOOK: Adidas Samba OG

The classic look and authentic feel of the Adidas Samba OG all starts with a full-grain leather upper. The sneaker also incorporates gritty suede and gold foil details at the sides. Signature three stripes branding can be found at the sides, while a woven Adidas Originals tongue label graces the top of the silhouette. Made for a regular fit, the sneaker’s synthetic leather lining adds optimal comfort with each step. A signature gum rubber outsole is placed underneath, supporting the gum rubber midsole. The suede t-toe design gives an authentic Samba aesthetic, while the pivot point at the textured rubber cupsole nods to the sneaker’s soccer heritage. Metallic detailing provided by the gold foil embossing spells out ‘Samba’ for a finishing touch.