It's Not Just Sambas
Grace Wales Bonner and Adidas know how to score with every piece, every time.
It’s my favorite semi-annual holiday: the perpetually anticipated, exceedingly (and rightfully) hyped-up Wales Bonner x Adidas Drop Day. A link-up akin to Shaq and Kobe, Xavi and Iniesta; or perhaps, better compared to the apex of power couples: Posh and Becks. Because that’s what this collab is, really—a match made in fashion and sports heaven.
The partnership, which began in 2020, has helped British-Jamaican designer Grace Wales Bonner receive international brand recognition and a dedicated following, in large part due to the more attainable price point. But it’s hardly a one-way street—Wales Bonner’s playful and intentional spirit has infused new life into classic silhouettes, resulting in one of the most successful long-term brand relationships with seasonal collections that sell out within minutes of a drop.
The latest range, which was unveiled on the runway in April, continues the designer’s “ongoing exploration of athletic codes, reimagining Adidas’ sporting legacy through a selection of refined and elegant archival looks.” The off-pitch styles pay homage to the football-inspired looks of the 1970s and 1980s, as well as the ever-present examination of Wales Bonner’s own Afro-Atlantic legacy. Highlights include lightweight asymmetrical knits, trefoil emblazoned tracksuits, crisp T-shirts, and utility-style pants. And of course, there are Sambas.
Oh, the Sambas. The coveted, cult classic, Wales Bonner Sambas. A perfect shoe made perfect-er! A sneaker that has given me the highest of highs (wearing them) and the lowest of lows (buying them on StockX). And while CONFIRMED-app users won’t be scrapping it out over a sexy silver pair or a glorious green iteration this time, four rookie color-ways have joined an all-star lineup. Tinted leather remains the go-to, with co-branded badges on black, cream, leopard, and burgundy colorways. Staying true to the sneaker and collaboration heritage, oversized tongues and deviating textures (two styles are made luxe by faux pony-haired uppers) are hallmarks of this drop’s Samba selection.
At aesthetic face value, this duo has never disappointed. But beyond the flashy favorites, Grace Wales Bonner’s ethos of sincerity and subtlety is what makes her the ultimate Adidas collaborator.
Versatility lies at the core of both brands; in January, Wales Bonner proved that a well-designed football kit has just as much of a place at Paris Fashion Week as a Chanel suit. At her FW23 runway presentation, she gave her audience a first look at Adidas’ (at the time) brand-new Jamaica home shirt—a beautiful, primarily yellow top (a lá her inaugural collaboration with the sportswear giant) that saw the Reggae Girlz into their best-ever finish at this summer’s World Cup.
Authenticity lies at the heart of the 33-year-old’s designs. Born in London to an English mother and a Jamaican father, Wales Bonner has always explored diasporic, inquisitive themes in a profoundly nuanced way. The shirt is an ode to her roots and builds upon ever-present athletic codes and her own personal influences, such as Bob Marley and his own passion for the beautiful game. “I love the layering of knitwear, and how he manages to wear sportswear in a very elegant way,” she told the Financial Times, speaking on her freshman and sophomore collaborations with Adidas.
The images of Marley— “more often than not” in “at least part of an Adidas tracksuit” —served as sources of inspiration for her solo collections. “Adidas has always been naturally quite present in the time periods or the communities that I’ve been looking at,” she said in the same interview. “They adopted sportswear but gave it a different meaning and wore it in a different context. I think it’s quite iconic.”
In February—and I usually roll my eyes when people say this, but I’m going to say this—I had the privilege of sitting in on a Q&A with the designer hosted by Black Discourse at Nordstrom’s in Manhattan. The space, and coinciding event, were celebrations of her spring 2023 ready-to-wear runway collection, “Horizon Blues.” It was envisioned by Grace herself, a physical evocation of her mission of “infusing European ideas of luxury with an Afro-Atlantic spirit.” The crowd at the event was called “beautiful” and “well-dressed,” which really has nothing to do with this story except for the fact that I just discovered this during my research for this article. The one video I have from the afternoon is below, and she’s saying something insightful and clever (despite the fact that the clip is out of context and only ten seconds long).
When I approached her after the conclusion of the session, I was struck by how small and soft-spoken she was. She had a stern expression on her face, clearly still unsure of what to say in response to compliments (of which she receives many). I told her I was grateful to see someone fusing sports and style, and that it meant a lot to people like me who value both and don’t believe in the false binary that has historically separated the two. I think she said “Thank you” and nodded as she listened.
Looking back on this interaction, I believe that she was unsure of how to respond to my flattery because this aforementioned fusion is intrinsic to her and her designs. It’s more of a necessity of her artistry than a choice. When people are complimentary of my two different colored eyes, I typically offer the same sort of demure “Thank you,” avoiding eye contact, because I cannot control the fact that I have two different colored eyes. It’s just who I am. In the same sense, this design exploration between sports and style is just who Grace Wales Bonner is, too.