Photo 179325875 © Seventytwostock | Dreamstime.com
The Adidas Samba, with its sleek design and indoor football roots, is experiencing a resurgence as a street style staple alongside other retro favorites. However, there’s a catch: some wearers are finding it, well, less than comfy.
Sambas are known for having a bit of a break-in period. The leather upper can feel stiff at first, and some people experience rubbing or blisters until the shoe conforms to their foot. This is especially common around the ankles and the tongue. Nonetheless, it’s a hurdle many fans are willing to jump over, knowing the shoes eventually soften.
This trade-off between initial discomfort and ultimate coolness became a subject on social media lately. Lifestyle content creator Mengyan Yu, for one, took to TikTok to share her struggles with the unyielding Sambas.
Adidas’s perplexing reply? “Gotta sacrifice for the look.”
Internet users have been taken aback by the response. Social media marketing expert Annie-Mai Hodge, who drew more attention to the comment, pointed out that while fit could be an issue for the influencer, the response felt off-putting.
Others said Adidas was “[amplifying] a negative sentiment by throwing shade on their own product” and “[literally] agreeing that the shoes are bad but look good.”
Note to brands: your intrusive thoughts don’t always win.
[via annie-mai and Mengyan Yu, images via various sources]