Dad sneakers are primarily defined by their silhouette. Functional, comfortable, and most importantly, supportive. But, we’d also add color to the list of definitions. Usually, a dad shoe features a muted palette: greys, neutrals, dark blues.

There are, however, always exceptions to the rule. Take the adidas Originals Adistar Control 5, for example. This is undeniably a dad shoe in its silhouette, but the animal-print upper takes a much bolder direction.

While adidas’ archive is perhaps best known for its seemingly endless reels of lightweight kicks, there are some silhouettes—usually dating back to the noughties—that offer a chunkier side of the brand’s heritage.

One such silhouette is the adidas Adistar Control 5 which originally dropped in 2008 in a range of understated, sports-driven colorways. This was a fruitful era for dad sneakers, and the Adistar Control 5 settled in comfortably.

Since then, the silhouette has made a resurgence as a lifestyle shoe, garnering interest from collaborations and a run of incredible general-release colorways.

The latest to drop is also one of the most memorable. Color-blocked colorways are one thing but animal prints are a whole different level of head-turning, and this one’s got our attention.

A base of pony-hair in giraffe print is topped by neutral overlays and a perfectly executed light blue lace that echoes cushioning at the heel. 

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