When the British-Jamaican designer Grace Wales Bonner unveiled the next iteration of her brand’s Adidas collab during her spring/summer ’24 show last year, it had all the hallmarks of another runaway success.
That proved true when it was released in early summer. The colour-popping track jackets have been adopted by the coolest style stalwarts, and just like Bonner’s impact with the Sambas, the reinvented SL 76 has found a home in many wardrobes (including ours).
We would have been happy enough with that.
But what is that we see sprinting towards us from the distance? Is that another Wales Bonner x Adidas shoe, one that eschews a slimline silhouette for something much chunkier? It is!
May we introduce the WB Adios Neftengas, the next ‘it’ shoe born from this partnership. Find out more about these kicks and where to buy it below.
What’s special about this shoe?
Unlike the other silhouettes Grace Wales Bonner has adopted, the original of these shoes weren’t officially released.
The prototype was worn by Ethiopian runner Haile Gebrselassie during the 2008 Berlin Marathon, where he broke his previous world marathon record by 27 seconds, and designed by Japanese designer Toshiaki Omori for the Adizero Adios – but this particular pair never went any further than Gerbrselassie’s feet. Until now.
Can you actually run in them?
While Adidas’ Adizero Adios line is known for providing the marathon runners who wear it with record-breaking times, you might be expecting too much of them to achieve the same result.
While we haven’t had the chance to get our hands (feet?) on a pair yet, a discussion on the r/RunningShoeGeeks Reddit thread suggests that these are more for park walks than long distances.
How are they like the original?
As an ode to Gebrselassie’s run, the colourway has been kept the same as the iconic silhouette. Its bumblebee hues will make it easy to spot from afar.
How do I buy a pair?
Sadly, it’s not going to be easy.
They’re available globally on September 12th at 9am BST via Confirmed, and walesbonner.com in “very limited quantities”. You’ll have to sign up for the former beforehand, and you can do so here.
