Adidas Philippines Shines the Spotlight on the Holy Trinity of Originals
The Gazelle, Samba, and Handball Spezial often get mixed up, primarily because these make up the Adidas sneaker trinity. They were first designed for sports and training before transitioning into icons.
These pairs came into prominence in Europe, particularly in the United Kingdom, where the intersection between football, contemporary youth (specifically lad) culture, pop culture, and urban edge would champion the Samba (introduced in 1949) and Gazelle (released in the '60s) as cultural mainstays. The Spezial came sometime in the late '70s but enjoys the same notoriety, of course. It's only a matter of time before the next girl wears them.
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They're essentially what birthed the Adidas Originals. In the age of self-referentiality and retro reimagining, Adidas would breathe new life into the trinity with its newest campaign. Launched in 2023, adidas (yes, now with an emphasis on the small "a") Originals reintroduces the classic silhouettes with help from director Vincent Haycock.
Starring adidas Skate Team member Carlisle Aikens, the "1,000 Back" campaign puts together 1,000 stories of different originals. It's a tableau of sorts about the said classics. The single-take film follows a protagonist as they make their way through a street, shining a light on the people, communities, identities, and subcultures that have made the Trefoil their own. It captures the Samba, Handball Spezial, and Gazelle in a variety of locations and contexts.
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This series of still images was replicated by the adidas Philippines team on a small night out earlier this week, inviting a group of influencers, writers, and artists to collaborate on a special fashion show. Filipino creatives were asked to offer their takes on the silhouettes. These pictures are meant to pay homage to the array of people who've elevated the adidas Originals name.
For more information on new releases, visit adidas Philippines.
