The adidas adiSTAR Cushion is a quintessential dad shoe: a comfortable, cushioned running shoe that fell into the hands of middle-aged men hunting for comfortable, cushioned sneakers in the early 2010s. However, you wouldn’t know this from looking at its upcoming atmos collaboration.

The Japanese retailer has taken adidas’ old-school sports shoe and given it a new lease of life. In fact, it’s made the shoe look borderline futuristic. 

Unlike most adiSTAR Cushion sneakers currently available on the adidas website, which lean into the shoe’s elderly looks through predominantly neutral grey or white colorways, atmos has opted for something a little bolder. 

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The collaborative shoe’s mesh base has a dark blue gradient print, putting the focus on sporty, wavy-shaped overlays that run the length of the sneaker (and are also decorated with gradient coloring). 

Combine this excess of blue gradient prints with hits of metallic and reflective detailing and the atmos adiSTAR Cushion is an eye-catching twist on a retro runner.

This blue-colored refresh is inspired by the color of the dawn sky in Harajuku, Japan (where atmos’ headquarters are based) and it arrives online on adidas Japan and the Atmos website on May 25.

At a time when re-issued, old-school athletic shoes continue to attract hype (ASICS x Kiko and New Balance, I’m looking at you), it’s surprising that the adidas adiSTAR Cushion hasn’t received more fanfare since being reissued. 

Maybe, with the right collaborations, it will be propelled into the limelight more. And teaming up with Atmos, one of adidas' most reliable collaborators, on this limited-edition colorway is certainly a good starting point.