Samba this, Samba that—frankly, I’m done talking about whether Adidas’ ubiquitous sneakers are cooked or just classics. (For the record, I remain firmly pro, but I get it if you’ve tapped out.) Wherever you stand on the Samba Discourse, though, one thing is universal: the appeal of a sleek, simple, low profile sneaker. And there are plenty of Samba replacements coming from inside the House of the Three Stripes.
No, I’m not talking about the obvious ones, like the Superstar or Gazelle. Walk around Williamsburg or Los Feliz and you’ll see the streets stocked with some of the Three Stripe’s daintiest sneakers: The Tokyo, the Taekwondo, and the Japan. Technically, they’re a trio of women’s sneakers—but who cares what filter you have to click when the sneakers look this good? (Gender is just a construct; shoe size is just math—though apologies if your shoe size is bigger than a men’s 9.5.)
All signs point to this trio of sneakers, resurrected from Adidas’ archive and backed with some real-deal history, as being the antidote to Samba ennui. And getting in on the next big thing before it becomes the next big thing? That’s one thing we can all agree on.
Adidas Tokyo
Like some of the best Adidas sneakers, the Tokyo has a shape that hits hard today thanks to roots going back decades. Introduced way back in 1964 as a part of the brand’s celebration of the Tokyo Olympics, it was exclusive to athletes participating in the Games. Nine years later, Adidas let the public lace up its own pair of Tokyos—though it’s really taken off in the last year or so after being (re-)revived from the brand’s archives.
You get all the minimalist chill of the Samba, with an even slimmer shape, a barely-there sole (in the same throwback “gum” color) and an X-shaped crosshatch on the heel made from the same leather as the three stripes.
You also get to choose from a bunch of eye-grabbing colorways. If you know the Tokyo, it’s probably because you caught the flashy metallic edition that dropped last year, which was as hot as any sneaker in 2024. There’s also hot pink, lime green, and a heater of a collab from Yohji Yamamoto’s Y-3 label set to drop next month. The only possible downside is that the Tokyo is technically a women’s shoe, and Adidas doesn’t seem to have any stock above a men’s size 9.5 (women’s 11).
Adidas Taekwondo
Ballet shoes are very much having a moment right now, and we aren’t talking about satin slippers. Just about every brand under the sun is churning out form-fitting low-cut kicks with whisper-thin soles and “Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies” details. Leading the troupe is the Adidas Taekwondo, which doesn’t technically have pirouettes in its genes, but exists for matters of grace and agility nonetheless. Like the Tokyo, it was designed for an Olympic moment—this time the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul—for taekwondo athletes.
The shoe proved useful for throwing a roundhouse kick, but took on a life of its own when it reached the streets. Sporty but low-key, comfortable, and laceless, it was an IYKYK hit—especially while Yohji Yamamoto dropped riffs on it through Y-3.
