Jovani Hernandez The adidas Samba is everywhere. And while the decades-old design is more than worthy of the massive attention it’s gotten over the last three years, it’s not the only shoe the Three Stripes produces. adidas has been crafting high-quality performance and lifestyle footwear for more than 70 years, but recent memory has widely overshadowed some of the company’s accomplishments. We at Sneaker News aren’t history teachers – and much less gatekeepers – but we’d hate for models like the adidas Campus 00s to fly under-the-radar because of Samba frenzy.
The Campus 00s debuted in September 2022, but is rooted in design language from the 1970s. Before being rebranded as the Campus, the adidas Tournament served as a low-top basketball shoe marketed to college and high school athletes. The sneaker’s frequent use of suede delivered a lighter solution than popular leather footwear of the time without sacrificing performance. Countless color combinations were achieved with the 3-Stripes branding on the sides, as well as the spine overlay, helping the adidas Campus find its footing on and off-the-court. Hip-hop artists and fans quickly adopted the shoe as part of their uniforms with the Beastie Boys being amongst the most visible to do so. The shoe was especially welcomed in Tokyo’s Ura-Harajuku district, helping the adidas Originals stay relevant as Run-D.M.C. brought worldwide fandom to the Superstar.
Classic black.
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Over the years, the former “Tournament” silhouette has undergone several structural changes, blending heritage and modern technology. One such example is the 1999’s Campus Supreme, a chunky update to the performance design. The sneaker didn’t take off in many western markets, but Japan’s consumers welcomed the retro-futurist design with open wallets. The adidas Campus 00s follows a similar blueprint as its “Supreme” predecessor, bringing exaggerated proportions to a sneaker initially marketed as sleek and light. Yet, the Campus 00s arguably does a better job of capturing the “Y2K” aesthetic that’s become so popular over the last year – and that’s allowed the adidas Samba, mesh runners, and football jerseys to infiltrate more wardrobes than ever before.
adidas has been vocal about the Campus 00s’ inspiration: product pages for the shoe read “Skate-inspired Campus shoes that celebrate iconic materials.” Suede returns to the spotlight on the reworked model, but the soft material now covers a bulbous upper. While “old school” to 2023, the chunkiness so prevalent in skate shoes of the 90s and early 2000s went against traditional footwear design. Aesthetically, the chunkiness also complemented skaters’ generally baggy tops and bottoms – clothing styles that’ve widely returned in vogue.
Bold blue.
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The Campus 00s and Samba are from the same family tree, but offer styles on opposite sides of the spectrum. The difference in propositions could deter people from trying out the chunkier silhouette, but it shouldn’t. Both adidas designs can and should coexist as they work together to deliver familiarity with an edge. The Samba continues to grow its catalog of styles, but it’s been slower to adopt color than the Campus 00s. The Campus 00s’ skate-inspired design also brings a thicker midsole and more arch support than the adidas Samba, making for a much more wearable experience.
Check out a handful of Campus 00s styles ahead, and shop all available options right now via adidas.com/campus00s. The shoe is priced at $110 USD, with special editions and collaborations retailing for $120 USD.
Faded orange.
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Cool grey.
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Gain green.
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Seeing red.
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Fall-focused.
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Clear skies.
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“Amber Tint” goodness.
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Photos via adidas
