The Adidas Samba has lived a number of lives in its 70-plus-year history.
Designed by brand founder Adi Dassler in 1949 (the same year Adidas was established following a fallout between Dassler and brother Rudolf, who went on to form Puma), the original form of Samba hit the soccer pitch the following year.
A far cry from the look consumers know today, the first Samba was notably worn in Germany during a 1950 soccer match and was specifically created for placing on slick, icy fields. Rather than the low-profile design that dominates the streets today, this version of the Samba was a rugged, almost boot-like silhouette complete with an arched sole, a rubber-capped toe and metal eyelet grommets. Its success in the sport led Adidas to continue to build on the Samba lineage in the years to come.
The variation of the Samba that is closest to what’s available now wasn’t introduced until over 20 years later. In 1972, the shoe used a lower ankle cut, added padding in the heel and a zoned outsole to further its performance capabilities. Despite the Samba’s original goal of catering to play on snowy surfaces, the 1970s would see it gain popularity as an indoor soccer shoe thanks to these changes. Its dual-layered sole was thicker than modern day pairs, but the overall design of the upper, including the sizing and placement of the Three Stripes branding and the Samba’s signature “T-toe” overlay, would largely remain the same for decades to come.
As time went on, the Samba was embraced not only by soccer players, but also by fans of the sport. As the ‘70s bled into the ‘80s, “terrace culture” took off in the UK, with match-watching devotees adopting a uniform which almost always included a pair of slim-soled Adidas. The Samba was one of many shoes to catch on in terrace culture, but its appeal would prove to be even wider as time went on.
By the ‘90s, the Samba had found a new audience in skateboarders. The shoe’s low-to-the-ground sole and reinforced upper panels made it a viable option for action sports. This broadened appeal also saw its popularity grow in the States, where the shoe would become a back-to-school staple in the late ‘90s and 2000s thanks to its affordable price and easy-to-style color combinations.
Although Adidas kept it in production, the Samba had a dormant period in the 2010s while sneaker culture gravitated to louder, more hype-fueled styles. Then, during the COVID-19 pandemic, a handful of trend-forward celebrities such as ASAP Rocky and Bella Hadid began favoring the model. More big names including Frank Ocean and Rihanna were spotted wearing them. Then came the collaborations.
British designer Grace Wales Bonner’s collaboration with Adidas began in November 2020 and included two styles of the Samba. Inspired by Wales Bonner’s Jamaican heritage, the designer’s Sambas have introduced details such as hand-stitched overlays, extra-long tongues, studded embellishments and metallic finishes. While she’s not the only brand partner working on the sneaker — Pharrell Williams and Ronnie Fieg have also recently released coveted iterations — it’s hard to imagine the Samba having the energy it does right now without Wales Bonner’s contributions.
