Adidas Taps Yohji Yamamoto for Two Black-and-White Takes on the Stan Smith

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Adidas is revamping its Stan Smith sneakers for fall 2023, thanks to Yohji Yamamoto.

In the longtime collaborators’ latest partnership, Yamamoto has taken the athletic giant’s signature round-toed sneaker and given it a matte leather makeover, according to a brand release.

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Adidas x Yohji Yamamoto‘s Stan Smith sneakers.

Each shoes’ tongues are printed with the Smith style’s signature box logo-topped symbol — on this occasion, accented with “Endorsed by” lettering and a two-dimensional image of Yamamoto himself for a wink at the pair’s dedication to collaboration.

The first take on the Stan Smith features white tongues with black laces, complete with smooth black leather uppers. Matte black rubber soles complete the style with a balanced base, while Adidas’ signature triple stripes are perforated in three thin lines for a minimalist edge.

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Adidas x Yohji Yamamoto’s black leather Stan Smith sneakers.

The same dotted lines can be seen on the second matte leather iteration of the Smiths in white, contrasted by black leather tongues and flat black rubber soles.

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Adidas x Yohji Yamamoto’s white leather Stan Smith sneakers.

Both pairs will be available on Yohji Yamamoto’s international boutiques and website, as well as Adidas’ website, Confirmed apps, stores and selected retailers.

The new Stan Smith launch notably continues the pair’s loyalty to one another, as their partnership has lasted over 20 years since their first Y-3 collection was released in 2003. Since then, the duo have regularly launched seasonal collections over the years, with Yamamoto bringing his sharp, architectural design aesthetic to Adidas’ signature shoe in the process — including the Gazelle, Rivalry and Superstar styles, among others. Yamamoto’s also launched his own shoe silhouettes within Y-3, including the label’s Nizza Low, Takumi Sen 9 and Itogo styles.

In other Adidas news, the brand and Yamamoto released their “Chapter 4” collection for fall 2023, which is also currently available online.

About the Author:

Aaron Royce is the Digital Editor for Footwear News, where he writes stories on trending news, celebrity style, collaborations and in-depth profile interviews. Prior to joining Footwear News, Aaron wrote and interned for publications including PAPER, Grazia and the Daily Front Row. He currently holds a B.S. in mass communications from Virginia Commonwealth University.

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