Come fall, there’s nothing better than a surfeit of boots to choose from.
But let’s not forget about your sneakers.
If you’re searching for a fresh pair of kicks, we’ve got just the place: the brand spankin’ new Adidas Originals store, now open in Wicker Park.
Hold on, though. Dumb question: What’s Adidas Originals, exactly?
In short, it’s the sportswear label’s lifestyle division. Aside from collaborating with a guy named Kanye West, the Originals line has helped Adidas become one of the most popular sneaker brands today. So popular, in fact, that the brand with three stripes recently surpassed Jordan Brand to become America’s second favorite sneaker.
And they’ve done so with some of the most exciting releases in recent memory.
The Adidas Originals Wicker Park outpost — its largest brick-and-mortar in the world, and its seventh in the U.S. — is a place for both casual and diehard fans to get a jump on those highly coveted sneaker releases as well as provide a way to browse the label’s also-coveted collaborations (see: Alexander Wang and White Mountaineering).
But today, we’re focusing on the shoes. Because it’s gotta be the shoes, right? Before you go, here are five new releases that should be on your radar.
EQT Support Parley Shoes
A timely collaboration with Parley for the Oceans that gives the EQT sneaker a shot of eco-innovation. The one-piece, two-tone knitted upper features Parley Ocean Plastic, which comes from upcycled plastic waste fished out of Maldivian waters and beaches. MORE INFO HERE
Iniki Runner Shoes
A new silhouette launched earlier this year inspired by 1970s running culture, the Iniki blends vintage design with modern materials. Pretty much the perfect marriage of old and new. MORE INFO HERE
NMD_R2 Primeknit Shoes
The latest model in the NMD series, arguably Adidas’s most successful and enduring sneaker designs since it launched in 2015. The NMD_R2 is more subtle but with the same comfortable primeknit construction as its predecessor. MORE INFO HERE
Tubular Shadow Shoes
With a very similar look to Kanye West’s culture-shifting Yeezy Boosts, the Tubular Shadows have been called the “poor man’s Yeezys.” Nothing wrong with that. If you’re looking for the same look at an affordable price point, look no further. MORE INFO HERE
Gazelle Shoes
Perhaps our favorite classic archival Adidas design. Here, the three stripes brought back the same materials, textures and build as the Gazelle’s iconic 1991 redesign. MORE INFO HERE
This article was featured in the InsideHook Chicago newsletter. Sign up now for more from the Windy City.