The adilette 22s are – as you might have guessed – a new take on adidas’ staple slide, the adilette, first released in 1972. However, this has to be more than a simple reiteration. The 22s have gained a lot of hype since its first limited release, as well as some negative attention from Kanye West.
Whether by the pool or in the shops, we’ve all caught a glimpse of the classic adilette look. These 22s are something new. First off, the signature three stripes are gone, giving the 22’s colourways a clean look. The branding is left to some simple text on the sides reading “The brand with the three stripes”.
What makes this slide unique is its distinct 3D texture, inspired by the topography of Mars. So far four colourways have had a limited release through adidas. The Cream and Magic Limes are restocking this week, along with the new Carbon Aluminium colourway.
So what’s Kanye’s problem with the 22s? Ye recently took to Instagram, suggesting that adidas “copied” the Yeezy Slide’s design. So what makes the slides similar? Firstly, both feature lightweight EVA foam for added comfort. Secondly, both slides use uniform, earthy colours, with the swirling Magic Lime Desert Sand and Carbon Aluminium adilettes also mirroring the Yeezy line’s MX colourways.
On the other hand, pretty much every sneaker or lifestyle brand makes its own slides, and the topographic theme is more than enough to set the 22s apart. Let’s not forget, in the past adidas has widely released arguably similar shoes alongside hyped Yeezy silhouettes. For the 350s there were the Ultraboosts, NMDs, and Tubular Shadows. For the chunkier 500s and 700s, there were the Ozweegos, first released in the late 90s. Images of a new adidas sample were also recently released, featuring a Foam Runner-esque cage but with an added sock lining and lacing system.
The adilette 22s restock on the 23rd of June and are already available via KLEKT. As always, be sure to stay tuned to KLEKTIVE for more news on upcoming releases.
