adidas Stan Smith: From Wimbledon to the world
Spoiler: The adidas Stan Smith wasn't always called that. But what is firmly part of the sneaker 's origin story is tennis: In 1965, adidas developed a shoe with a leather upper for the court - and named it after the French tennis pro Robert Haillet. The sneaker silhouette of the 60s was very close to the Stan Smiths you know today: white leather with a narrow rubber sole and a green heel. The adidas shoe also reduced the iconic three stripes to simple perforations in the upper material. A smart idea with minimalist vibes.
Thank you, next: A short time later, Haillet retired from the tennis court and adidas was looking for a new endorsement for its shoe. This time, the choice fell on the American tennis player Stan Smith - the official sneaker rebranding followed in 1978. Of course, a few new design features were a must, such as the super cool adidas Trefoil logo and Smith's portrait on the tongue of the shoe. Win-win: The tennis shoe not only made Stan Smith a sneaker superstar, but also boosted the German brand's sales figures in the USA.