Dingyun Zhang previewed a collaborative shoe box with adidas Originals in 2023. It was a quick tease of pure dual-branded packaging and vibes, and then back to puffer business as usual for the Mongolian-Chinese designer. Nearly a year later, the master of all things padded returns with first looks at his adidas sneaker, which — like his otherworldly outerwear — is like out of this galaxy.
Let me be clear: Zhang's adidas sneakers are very cool, much like his sought-after wears co-signed by stylish presences like SZA and Lil Yachty. The CSM alum made the Darth Vader of adidas Samba sneakers, rendering the popular model in a sleek all-black colorway.
The paint job may be quiet, but the details on Zhang's adidas Sambas speak for themselves. A combination of shiny patent and smooth suede texture takes over the sneaker's upper, with the Three Stripes cleverly blending into the glossy background.
Staying true to his puffy roots, Zhang naturally lends his inflated goodness to the adidas Samba. Zhang's adidas shoe boasts an overall chunkier shape and even offers a blown-up bumper around the collar.
Zhang's adidas shoe rounds off with a matte ribbed tongue, a classic touch seen on previous Samba sneakers. At the same time, adidas and Zhang's logos subtly land elsewhere, again allowing the stunning but understated design to do the talking.
Since teasing the adidas collaboration, Zhang has kept fans afloat with deliciously spotted Marni jackets and a long-awaited online storefront (finally!). Surely, the Dingyun Zhang hive was likely grateful for those drops, but you still couldn't help but wonder: where is the adidas collab?
The answer is yes for those wondering: the launch will include those puffed-up adidas Samba sneakers.
The much-anticipated Dingyun Zhang x adidas collab is expected to debut on May 10.
There's no telling what else Zhang and adidas have up their sleeves for the release (or perhaps even future collabs). I just hope those sleeves are puffy like Zhang's other clothes.
