Origins on the Court
When adidas set out to design a new basketball shoe in the late 1960s, the brief was simple: build something tougher and lower than the canvas high-tops that ruled the sport. The result, designed in 1969 and released in 1970, was the adidas Superstar, the first low-top basketball shoe to combine a full leather upper with a rubber shell toe. That shell toe was not decoration. It protected players' toes in the physical battles under the basket, and within a few years a large share of NBA players were wearing the shoe.
The low cut gave freedom of movement that high-tops could not match, while the leather upper offered the durability professionals needed. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was among the early adopters, and by the mid-1970s the Superstar was the shoe of choice for serious players across America.
Updated October 2026
Run-DMC and the Birth of Sneaker Culture
If the court gave the Superstar its foundation, hip-hop gave it a soul. In the early 1980s, Queens group Run-DMC made Superstars part of their uniform: unlaced, tongues out, worn with black tracksuits and Kangol hats. Joseph "Run" Simmons, Darryl "DMC" McDaniels and Jason "Jam Master Jay" Mizell wore the shoe long before any brand deal existed.
Their 1986 track "My adidas" was a love letter to the shoe and a response to critics who linked sneakers with crime. adidas executives went to a Run-DMC concert and watched thousands of fans hold their Superstars in the air on cue. The deal that followed, reported at one million dollars, is widely seen as the first major sneaker endorsement for a music act, and it changed how brands, music and fashion work together.
adidas has paid tribute to that moment several times, most recently for the shoe's 50th anniversary with the Adidas Superstar 50 Run DMC White (2020) and the Adidas Superstar Jam Master Jay Run DMC (2020).
From Hip-Hop to Fashion
The Run-DMC deal opened the floodgates. Through the late 1980s and 1990s, the Superstar moved from athletic shoe and hip-hop staple to everyday fashion item. Its clean lines made it a blank canvas for stylists, designers and anyone who wanted something that worked with almost any outfit.
Skaters liked its flat sole and grippy toe cap. Fashion editors paired it with tailored trousers. Students wore it on campuses from Tokyo to Berlin. Its strength has always been its simplicity: three stripes, a shell toe and a shape that never needs to shout.
Key adidas Superstar Collaborations
The Superstar's simple design has made it one of adidas's favourite canvases for collaborations.
- Pharrell Williams has returned to the shoe again and again, most recently with the Adidas x Pharrell Williams Superstar 92 'Core Black' (2025).
- BAPE has applied its camouflage and shark details over the years, including the Adidas x BAPE Superstar 'Blue' (2024) and a three-way pair with CLOT.
- Prada took the shoe into luxury with Italian-made leather on the Adidas x Prada Superstar Core White (2020).
- Jonah Hill kept it simple and premium on the Adidas x Jonah Hill Superstar Core White (2020).
- Wales Bonner, JJJJound and Song for the Mute have given the shoe a more fashion-led direction in 2024 and 2025.
The adidas Superstar in 2026
The Superstar line is broader than ever. The Adidas Superstar 82 'Black' (2024) brings back a slimmer early-80s shape, while the Adidas Superstar XLG White Black (2023) goes the other way with a chunky, raised sole.
In 2026, the shoe also became the base for the Pokémon 30th anniversary collection, with pairs like the adidas x Pokémon Superstar 'Pikachu Yellow' (2026) and the adidas x Pokémon Superstar Vintage 'Charizard' (2026). You can see the full range in our Pokémon sneaker guide.
| Adidas Superstar 82 'Black' (2024) | Adidas Superstar XLG White Black (2023) |
| adidas x Pokémon Superstar 'Pikachu Yellow' (2026) | adidas x Pokémon Superstar Vintage 'Charizard' (2026) |
The Legacy of the adidas Superstar
More than 50 years after it first appeared on basketball courts, the adidas Superstar is one of the most important sneakers ever made. It changed basketball footwear, proved that music and fashion could drive sneaker culture as strongly as sport, and gave some of the world's most creative people a canvas to work on.
Its staying power comes from an honest design: no gimmicks, just a clean, purposeful shoe. From the hardwood to Hollis, Queens, from Tokyo boutiques to Paris runways, the shell toe is as relevant today as it was in 1970.
Browse every adidas Superstar on KLEKT.
Images: adidas / KLEKT
