The New Premium Stan Smiths are a Good Excuse to Retire Your Old Stan Smiths

We can't even be mad at the Adidas Originals Stan Smith anymore. For a while, it was the sneaker you would see everywhere—the basic of basics, a shoe that was so utterly ubiquitous that it could have easily started to feel a little corny.

But looking at it now, the Stan Smith seems to have survived that test of mass appeal. There's just no way around its sleek, minimal shape and its pairs-with-anything versatility. It's a real classic, and Adidas has done well to keep the colorways coming.

A new release of the Stan Smith, though, has an especially tempting proposition: even better leather. The Adidas Originals Stan Smith Premium, which released in the Philippines just recently, comes in just two colorways: Core Black and White Tint. Both sport extra-supple premium leather uppers with leather lining and a textured nubuck toe, sitting atop a clean white sole. Check it out:

Hold either of these in-store and you can feel the difference in quality. The leather is softer than the average Stan Smith, and the nubuck is smooth and fine. Admittedly, the gold foil branding on the tongue throws it off a little, but not nearly enough to break the deal. Overall, these are still excellent Stan Smith colorways that deserve their "premium" label, and solid alternatives to the Raf Simons Stan Smiths (which are much more expensive).

The Adidas Originals Stan Smith Premium is now available in Adidas Originals stores and retailers in Metro Manila, and at the official Adidas Philippines website, for the full retail price of P7,000.