The adidas x Wales Bonner Partnership is a Force to be Reckoned With

Grace Wales Bonner hails from London, England, born to an English mother and Jamaican father. Grace is the founder of menswear label Wales Bonner and was tipped one of the most promising upcoming designers in fashion, earning the 2016 LVMH Prize. Her design ethos is very much inspired by her mixed-race upbringing, with her work exploring representations of black male sexuality and identity. A successful fashion career has led to many collaborations for the young designer, but most notably is her work with adidas Originals, beginning in 2020 and still going to this day. The partnership has included many classic adidas silhouettes, such as the Samba, SL72, Japan, and Country, all inspired by diehard English football culture and expressing a 1970s vibe.

When looking at the market, it’s easy to see the influence the adidas x Wales Bonner collection has had on fashion. In London in particular, the Samba has become a staple for most outfits, and the Wales Bonner iterations sport some eye-catching uppers and use of materials. The most recent Samba iteration included two leather iterations of the beloved silhouette, sporting clean studded details atop the signature 3 stripe branding on the sidewall. The fold over tongue sports co-branding details, resulting in a simple overall aesthetic that aligns perfectly with the vision of the Wales Bonner brand. The Autumn/Winter 2023 collection was perhaps one of the most popular to date, with 4 colourways included that breathed life back into the classic adidas Samba, opting for the use of pony hair on two of them and a suede/leather combination on the others. The details are what makes a shoe, especially when it comes to the ‘Dark Brown’ pair which adopts a full leopard print upper, seeming quite out of character for the usually minimalist brand, but somehow working perfectly within the SS24 runway collection.

There is no doubt the adidas Samba is one of the most talked-about silhouettes, sported by fashion enthusiasts and celebrities alike, but what’s next for the partnership? Well, it seems that 2024 will include yet more heat, as the duo show no signs of slowing down. New photos suggest that at least two new colourways of the adidas x Wales Bonner Samba are on the way, with the inclusion of faux crocodile skin details on the three stripes, offering a subtle touch of luxury that fits in perfectly with the Wales Bonner brand aesthetic. Set to release this year at Wales Bonner and adidas, we will be sure to try and get our hands on a pair. In the meantime, hit the links below to shop the latest adidas offerings we have online!