
Getting trainers nobody else got feels like winning, you know? It feels much cooler, absolutely it does. Finding those away from bright store lights felt better. True style means finding pieces that talk to you.
They should tell a story besides the newest stuff. The Adidas AdiZero line is gaining attention; it has this spirit. Our stories might help, but the brand really made it happen. Adidas kept its plan quite simple, but it worked greatly.
They get shoes to the right people, it seems. And make them appear in places that count. The AdiZero Adios model did really well with this idea. Grace Wales Bonner is who brought the Adios back into style. Her impact on its return is enormous. She changed the classic Adios sneaker some.

This included using a colorway with much history. That same yellow mix Haile Gebrselassie wore back in 2008. He broke a marathon record under 2 hours and 4 minutes that year. It gave the shoe a piece of running history. This fact got overlooked before Wales Bonner pointed it out. Then she showed this changed Adios to the fashion world.
She put it on models at her Paris show. One model wore a full Wales Bonner tracksuit. The sneaker came out for everyone after three months. It was part of their autumn collection for 2024. Bridging fashion moments and seasonal releases happens now.
People buying these shoes first were different. They came from design places, not the finish line field. You see this context shift plainly. I saw the Wales Bonner Adios in fancy shops a lot. More than one person actually running, that is true.

This tells volumes regarding its new identity. The story didn’t stop just there. The global star Bad Bunny then joined in the talk. He helped make the Adios more important. Bad Bunny mixed parts of the popular SL 72 shoe. The Adios got framed as the SL 72’s next step.
Connecting two successful Adidas shoes together made sense. This Bad Bunny version was made thinking of style fans. It targeted those deep into fashion culture, like him. The musician’s wide appeal made a big difference. His name helped the shoe move past fashion people.
It got into culture much broader too. Yet the Adios, a basic runner from the 2000s, kept its special feel. That quiet coolness stayed even as more knew it. Things kept moving forward with the shoe. More attention came over five months later.

This happened through Adidas and Sporty & Rich. Sporty & Rich is only ten years old. They built a strong following of dedicated customers. Tapping into a specific look helped achieve this. That look is the American country club feel.
The aesthetic of the Adios sneaker is one that is both sought after and underutilized, embodying practicality and chicness without being overly flashy, aligning seamlessly with Sporty & Rich’s vibe as campaign images beautifully illustrate their synergy.
The Sporty & Rich Adios appears in country club scenes. This reinforces how well they fit. Sporty & Rich Adios droped on May 30th. The shoe is expected to be more seen then.
With every major release, there’s an expectation for heightened public awareness, but what’s truly remarkable about the Adios sneaker is how it maintains its allure; its understated design allows it to remain a subtle yet significant status symbol despite increased visibility.

Product on Amazon: adidas Sporty & Rich x SL72 OG Womens Shoes, Real Blue/Light Yellow/Cloud White, Size 6
Brand: adidas
Price: 120 USD
Shopping on Amazon >>
The narrative surrounding the Adios sneaker illustrates the evolution of sneaker culture, which has gained significant momentum in recent years, largely thanks to the influential contributions of Grace Wales Bonner from London, whose impact in this realm is both profound and undeniable.
Since launching her collaboration with Adidas Originals in 2020, Grace has successfully breathed new life into vintage styles from the Adidas archives, transforming these beloved classics into contemporary hits that have resonated with sneaker enthusiasts everywhere.
They reach what people call ‘cult status’ sometimes. More than shoes, they become cultural items. Her past work has good examples of this status. The leopard pony hair Sambas and the silver ones are key. These versions became extremely wanted by people.
They were hard to get when they first came out. Resale markets show how high demand is. Pairs on resale sites sell for much more now. Much higher than what they first cost, I tell you. The leopard and silver Sambas were $500 plus.
On sites like StockX, prices were higher. For certain sizes, they even hit four figures. Demand must be extreme, I think. The impact of these old reworks is deep. It goes past just high-end stores too. Mass-market stores made many copies of them.
The trend of creating more affordable renditions that echo the aesthetics of iconic shoes has not only bolstered the partnership but also elevated Wales Bonner and Adidas to the forefront of sneaker collaborations, where they are frequently benchmarked against other duos; their releases, which occur approximately twice a year, create a buzz that sneaker fans eagerly anticipate.
People who like fashion watch too. They reliably make ‘It Shoe’ hits every time. And their clothes are just as good. They match the shoes’ look very well.
In addition to her work on the Adios sneaker, Grace Wales Bonner has also played a pivotal role in bringing other Adidas models like the Samba Millennium and SL 72 into the mainstream spotlight, reinforcing her enduring influence in the sneaker world while echoing the original vision behind this exciting story.
Related posts:
How the Adidas Adizero Adios Became the Sleeper Hit of the Summer
How the Adidas Adizero Adios Became the Sleeper Hit of the Summer
Wales Bonner Says Your Summer Sneakers Will Be Covered In Sequins