Forget dad shoes, adidas is making the case for grandma sneakers. This cozy iteration of the adidas Samba features a deep blue Three Stripes, a clear sole, and a knitted upper reminiscent of a cozy elderly sweater. 

When you have a sneaker as prolific as the adidas Samba, accusations of basicness are par for the course, and the Samba has received more than its fair share of critiques even as far back as 2023, when some were already saying that the shoe was "over."

But if a sneaker's biggest downfall is its popularity, is that doesn’t mean that its design is bad by any means.

Especially in the Samba's case, when a textural shakeup can breathe new life into even the most simplistic of adidas sneakers.

Here, the use of an unexpected woven texture disrupts the flow of this otherwise basic Samba without stepping too far out of the flat-footed bounds that give the sneaker its charm. In fact, it's wearing almost exactly the same colorway that the Samba is most famous for: All-white save for a tan sole and darker Three Stripes.

Now, real Samba stans know this is far from the first time that adidas has given a Samba a significant material upgrade.

From lacey girlcore detailing to hairy Toy Story finishes, textured uppers and Samba sneakers are a well-documented match made in sneaker heaven.

The Samba's lineup of material variations is so extensive, in fact, that this forthcoming knit iteration is not even close to the most visually diverse Samba. (I'd probably give that title to CLOT’s collaborative adidas espadrille Samba.)

But this knitted Samba, available on adidas' website this spring, is the perfect textural switch-up for those who like a simple sneaker with some humble grandma appeal.