adidas' Italian-Made Gazelle Is the Sweetest Non-Sneaker Sneaker
adidas is very good at making flat sneakers. That much has been made clear through the Samba's reign of dominance (or terror, depending on who you ask).
The adidas Gazelle, the Samba's runner-up as far as flat shoes are concerned, has also developed substantial street cred in the sneaker world, and adidas' decadently chocolate Made In Italy Gazelle transcends beyond that established clout.
The Made In Italy adidas Gazelle draws inspiration from traditional Italian dress shoes, hence its smooth leather upper that's interrupted by rich chocolate suede at the toe. Instead of the traditional rubber sole worn by the classic Gazelle sneaker, the Made In Italy iteration wears a thick, glossy outsole, solidifying the shoe as the perfect middle ground between a sneaker and a dress shoe.
Beyond being a textural treat by way of leather and suede contrast, this adidas Gazelle's brown-on-brown colorway ups the decadence of the shoe, allowing it to further extend beyond the bounds of a typical soccer sneaker. It's luxe and rich like a brownie for your feet.
This smooth, chocolatey goodness does come at a price, though. Like most Made In Italy sneakers, this Gazelle is available online for ¥60,500 (about $420), is pricier than its sporty counterparts, which you can cop for under $100 depending on what style you want.
Still, when you compare it to other high-end adidas products, like the $800 Superstar from the A-TYPE artisanal line, the Italian-made Gazelle is lowkey a steal.
Ok, that might be a stretch, but it's not the most expensive adidas out there and decadent richness at this capacity comes at a cost.