adidas' Stan Smith sneaker has inspired countless higher-priced platform shoes from a host of luxury labels so isn't it about time that the sportswear brand struck back against knock-offs with its own thick-soled Stan Smith? I'd say so.
The adidas Stan Smith PF (presumably standing for "platform") is exactly that. It's an ordinary leather Stan Smith shoe with a thickened rubber sole unit. The sneaker's typical green heel tab has also been softened, now made of nylon instead of leather.
Otherwise, there you have it: it's a platform Stan Smith that looks remarkably similar to the pricier versions peddled by fashion houses. And this shoe won't break the bank.
Currently only available at regional adidas web stores, the Stan Smith PF is likely to roll out internationally in due time. It's too darn marketable to limit to certain countries, as evidenced by widespread demand for the far pricier imitators.
While adidas' Stan Smith PF shoe retails for around $150, some of the prices for thick-soled sneakers sold by luxury labels can reach upwards of four figures.
Even some of the more "affordable" iterations command price tags close to $600, so adidas' platform Stan Smith is well-positioned to fight back in the clone war.
The only cheaper options come from faster-fashion brands and at least with the adidas iteration, you know you can rely on the comfort offered by the sportswear giant's EVA foam sole unit.
In fairness, part of the reason that the luxury labels' platform tennis shoes cost so much more is because they're made of thicker rubber and leather, thus making them more opulent than adidas' comparably lightweight design.
But you're also paying big bucks for the name on the insole, so there's that too.
Regardless of who's making it, that this style of shoe is as popular as it is shouldn't surprise anyone.
White sneakers are probably the most popular shoe style on the planet — speaking broadly, of course, and not including footwear designed for specific functions or sports — and the platform sole makes them especially appealing: they offer a boost of height, stability, a bit of statement flair.
All this is to say that given the success of other platform-soled adidas shoes, it's really only surprising that it took adidas this long to devise a taller iteration of the timeless Stan Smith.
Not that adidas has been ignoring its signature tennis sneaker, by any means. Over the past year alone, it's turned the Stan Smith into a Simpsons meme, a chunky clog, and, with some of its luxury collaborators, a stylish statement in its own right.
So, a platform Stan Smith? Makes sense. The only question is, what took so long?
