Adidas introduced the Superstar basketball shoe in 1969.
The Superstar evolved from Adidas’s earlier leather basketball footwear and became known for its low profile, three stripes and distinctive rubber shell toe. It was one of the first low-top basketball shoes made largely from leather, a notable contrast with many earlier canvas designs.
The model’s basketball significance grew during the 1970s, when players in the National Basketball Association wore Adidas shoes. Later, the Superstar moved strongly into streetwear and music culture. The hip-hop group Run-DMC helped make the shoe especially prominent during the 1980s, including through the song “My Adidas.”
The Superstar is sometimes confused with the Stan Smith because both became famous Adidas lifestyle shoes. Stan Smith branding belongs to a tennis model associated with the American player, while the Superstar began as a basketball shoe. The shell toe is the clearest visual feature distinguishing the classic Superstar from many other Adidas silhouettes.