Adidas sneakers provide UCLA population with a blast from the past

The retro footwear of famous athletes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and “Pistol Pete” Maravich has stepped back into fashion on UCLA’s campus.

Students have been wearing both the Superstar and Stan Smith Adidas models, which were released in 1969 and 1971, respectively. Both shoes have the Adidas logo on the back and can come with slight alterations in color for a higher price. The retro models have come back in style at UCLA, with students facing sold-out stores and varying prices online in an attempt to buy Adidas shoes to complement their formal, athleisure and sporty styles.

Ally Kolsky, managing editor of UCLA fashion and lifestyle magazine Denizen, said the resurgence of Adidas shoes has a lot to do with current endorsements from celebrities like Gigi Hadid. Students want the effortless, sporty look Adidas shoes provide, even if that look requires real effort and little athleticism, she said.

“It totally is a processed laziness,” Kolsky said. “People act like they don’t care, but they got that from Instagram, they paid $80 for a specific look.”

First-year psychology student Kelly Stoudemire got her Superstars for Christmas in 2015 with a little financial help from her parents. She embraced the Superstar model because of the slight height boost and the way the sneakers define her calves.

“I’m not going to deny my calves those shoes,” Stoudemire said.

The traditional Superstar model is characterized by three black stripes on the sides and an Adidas logo on the tongue. While Stoudemire’s Superstars would be useless on any sports court, both models are fit for parties and more formal events, she said.

“I wore my Superstars to my sorority formal,” Stoudemire said. “Heels suck and people respected that.”

The Stan Smith model differs from the Superstar with its white exterior and three rows of holes along the side. The shoe’s tongue has a green insignia of Stan Smith, the 1970s tennis player from USC after whom the shoe is named.

Jessica Quach never wears her Stan Smiths when she goes out, fearing the shoes would be irreparably stained by dirty fraternity floors. The first-year human biology and society student bought the Stan Smith model in February for its clean all-white look that matches her Adidas sweatpants and overall athleisure style, she said.

“Owning an all-white pair of shoes is an absolute necessity,” Quach said. “I used to only own Nike shoes and now I don’t have to brand-mix.”

Some students bring back the retro model of the shoes by customizing them with different colored soles and stripes. First-year undeclared life sciences student Daniel Zhang said he liked the look of the old Stan Smiths, but wanted a gum sole instead of the original white sole to differentiate himself from other Adidas owners. After searching streetwear forums on the internet, Zhang said he was able to find his perfect shoe.

“The online street-gear community has begun calling Stan Smiths ‘meme smiths’ because everyone seems to have them,” Zhang said.

However, the popularity of Superstars and Stan Smiths has made it more difficult to find the ideal shoe.

First-year mathematics student Alexis Juarez wanted to buy Adidas shoes to match his wardrobe of soccer jerseys and athletic wear, yet the Adidas store in Santa Monica was sold out in January. After searching at Foot Locker and Finish Line without any success, he found a slightly pricier pair of Superstars on Amazon.

“It’s definitely harder to get Superstars now that everyone wants them,” Juarez said. “But I love Adidas so it was definitely worth the journey.”

First-year psychology student Kevin Perez, too, had trouble finding Adidas shoes in stores like Foot Locker and Finish Line this past winter. He said their comfort and look makes a difficult and expensive purchase worth it. The extra cushioning does help when walking up the many steps on campus, he added.

“They’re just so comfy, it’s like stepping on two angels falling from heaven,” Perez said. “Adidas are definitely the way to go.”