The Samba hardly needs more visibility, but adidas is giving it anyway. The sneaker’s latest “Crystal White” colorway adds enough rhinestone shine to nudge the terrace classic into full Superstar territory, trading quiet cool for something a little more stage-ready.

At its core, the shoe is still the Samba that anyone would recognize instantly. Low to the ground. Gum sole. Streamlined stripes you can spot from across a football terrace or Oasis reunion crowd. 

But the upper tells a different story. The entire Samba sneaker is dusted in rhinestones that catch light from every angle, giving the icy white leather a frosted, almost jewel-box feel.

It is the kind of upper that outshines whoever stands next to it, which seems to be the point.

The Samba has been around for more than 70 years, and part of its longevity comes from how easily it shapeshifts. 

We have seen glittered Sambas, long-tongue versions, Wales Bonner sequins, and even that high-shine Samba Shine earlier this year. This new crystal pair joins the small club of Sambas built for people who want a familiar silhouette with a little spectacle baked in.

The “Crystal White” Samba is expected to land December 25 on adidas website for $143 and slots neatly into adidas’ growing fascination with sparkle. The Superstar has been getting its own rhinestone and crystal experiments lately, making the question inevitable. Which classic wears the shine better? Hard to say.

Both seem to know exactly how to catch light when it matters.

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