This Is an adidas Gazelle Disguised as an Italian-Made Dress Shoe
The adidas Gazelle “Made In Italy” doesn’t only blur the lines between a sporty sneaker and a formal dress shoe, it crosses it. The classic ‘60s sneaker is near-unrecognizable in its luxe new form.
On the upper, adidas' Italian-made non-sneaker stays true to the traditional look of a Gazelle, crafted from locally sourced leather accented with suede atop the sneaker’s signature T-shaped toe panel. But the sole unit is what elevates this adidas shoe beyond sneaker status.
Replacing the Gazelle's usual gum rubber outsole is a thick black sole unit, the type you’d expect from a pair of more classic derby shoes. On close inspection, the midsole looks to be made from wood (but is likely simply leather, like a proper benchmade shoe).
Properly soled, Italian-made, fully leather shoes? Yeah, at that point, the adidas Gazelle isn't a sneaker anymore.
Being the work of Italian footwear artisans, this adidas Gazelle naturally comes with a premium price tag: It is available from March 13 and will set you back $450.
It’s a considerable amount more than adidas’ previous “Made In Italy” sneakers which have ranged from $350 Sambas to Birkenstock-esque clogs. But it is more affordable than the $800 Superstar sneakers from adidas’ A-TYPE artisanal line.
Plus, you have to remember these aren’t really sneakers; they’re Italian-made formal shoes.
This adidas Gazelle is the sneaker at its dressiest, and it arrives in tandem with CLOT, the Hong Kong-based streetwear label known for turning adidas sneakers into dress shoes, also giving the footwear model a preppy twist through a thick crepe sole.
That is, when it isn't turning out Superstar dress shoes.
But here's it's the Gazelle, a sneaker best known for its association with football culture, that's the latest model to be transmogrified as part of adidas' formal shoe experimentations.
