adidas’ Printed Samba Is the Same Animal but a Different Beast
adidas' leopard-printed Samba sneaker is the king of the jungle. The flat sneaker jungle, that is.
This leopard-printed adidas Samba turns the classic simplicity of the Samba into a striking footwear piece that's both right on trend and ardently distinct.
Kitted with a textured leopard upper and a cream Three Stripes, this fleecy sneaker is also accented with an orange topline, a distinction from similar adidas sneakers. Another colorway offers the same leopard pattern with black Three Stripes and a green topline.
And yes, If this leopard adidas Samba is causing some déjà vu, that's because adidas is an apex member of the world of animal-printed sneakers. adidas isn't new to this, it's true to this.
Most iconically, in my fold-over-tongue-loving-opinion, is the pony hair Wales Bonner Samba that was everywhere when it was first released and is now going for double its retail price on resale websites.
But it's not just adidas that's coating its sneaker lineage in animalistic glamour.
The world of boldly patterned sneakers has found stylistic inspiration in just about every member of the kingdom Animalia.
Bad Gal Rih Rih got in on the action with her cowhide Puma Fenty Avanti Pony Hair sneaker, and Bottega Veneta's mega-furry Orbit sneaker is magnificently feral.
Cheetahs, cows, snakes and just about every other animal you'd see during a safari have found their way onto sneaker design mood boards — it's truly a jungle out there.
Incorporating these animal patterns into sneaker culture isn't just a win for eclectic closets everywhere: It's a welcome embrace of the kitschy and bold.
