WHY IS EVERYONE LOOKING FOR A SAMBA REPLACEMENT?

In the world of fashion and footwear, if a certain product or a particular style is described as “having a moment” it means that everyone is wearing it. So in that vein, when I write that adidas’ Samba sneaker is having its "moment," I'm sure you’d be inclined to agree.

In fact, adidas' low-profile sneaker has been having its “moment” for some time now, and is now statistically adidas’ second highest selling design ever behind the Stan Smith, according to resale site StockX.

Since its revival as the centerpiece of a collaboration between adidas and British designer Grace Wales Bonner in 2020, the adidas Samba’s popularity has increased ten-fold amongst the street-savvy, and has become near-on unavoidable.

Named as one of Lyst’s Hottest Products in 2022, the adidas Samba has since been at the heart of other successful link-ups with the likes of Palace Skateboards, Humanrace, and KITH, including a recent three-way partnership with Clarks and KITH founder Ronnie Fieg.

Naturally, in the collab-obsessed sneaker world we exist in, these link-ups have only escalated the Samba’s organic traction. Indeed, nearly three years on from its 2020 rebirth, the Samba continues to thrive.

So, with that in mind, please ask yourself this: why TF are people still trying to replace it with something new?

In truth, consumers have a habit of trying to fix things that don't need fixing. Take New Balance’s 610 for example, and how it’s been dubbed “the new 990”, or the slew of Nikes that have been cited as “the new Air Force 1”. The trend-savvy are always searching for "the next X", but why?

The most recent shoe to be touted as a Samba sequel is adidas' skate-inspired Campus 00s, a 2023-friendly iteration of a Y2K style that itself is a riff on a '70s-era original.

Adidas' Samba and Campus 00s are utterly distinct but, in terms of their mass appeal, they're one and the same.

And even if the Campus 00s was positioned a Samba-killer, there's really no harm in both the Samba and Campus 00s living together in harmony, without one replacing the other. There's more than enough room on the sneaker rack for everyone.