The Seven Best adidas Sneaker Releases This Week

The world of sneakers is like a cartoon race. One brand surges ahead, then the other catapults past them, then a new one joins the race and takes the lead. Or, it used to be. In recent years, there’s been one consistent leader, and they’re wearing full adidas kit. While most other footwear brands are hellbent on designing the newest, cutting-edge technology, adidas comfortably stays digging through archive crates and resurfacing its seemingly endless supply of incredible retro silhouettes.That’s the thrust of it, anyway. But it’s not the whole truth. While adidas’ extensive archive is key to the Three Stripes’ success, it’s worth noting that designs like the adidas EVO SL keep the brand firmly in the modern rotation, too. Combine that with a considered eye for on-the-money collaborations — Wales Bonner, SFTM, Simone Rocha, to name a few — and you’ve got the blueprint for winning the footwear race.From a croc-covered Wales Bonner Karintha, to an oddball moc-toe terrace Spzl Sneaker: Dive in to the seven best adidas sneakers of the week below!Shop this week's best adidas sneaker releases belowWales Bonner Karintha Croc ShoesRelease Date: Available NowEditor's Notes: Grace Wales Bonner’s Karintha has gone from sequins to this: a croc-effect upper in chocolate brown with gold-tone eyelets. adidas calls it “heritage meets contemporary flair,” and it’s one of the few sneakers that works with tailoring. The regular fit and textile lining keep it comfortable, and adidas suggests wearing it to the office. This is a Wales Bonner shoe for people who show up for a Monday morning meeting.ALBRECHT II SPZL ShoesRelease Date: November 6Editor's Notes: The Spezial line has been mining adidas’s archive of oddball terrace and handball trainers for years, and the Albrecht II is the latest to come out of it. It has a premium leather upper and lining in Dusky Bronze, on a rubber outsole. It’s a low-key, earthy pair that works with jeans or shorts, and in this brown palette its a weird, like something you’d find digging in a vintage shop, and cool like a Grandparent.SUPERSTAR ADV X WELCOME ShoesRelease Date: Available NowEditor's Notes: The Superstar has been a skate shoe since long before adidas gave it the ADV treatment, and this collab with Welcome Skateboards is a reminder of that. The shell-toe silhouette comes in a black leather upper with a textile lining and a rubber outsole. adidas describes it as a celebration of skateboarding heritage, this a blend of the Welcome's signature weirdness, while respecting a skateboarding icon.HAWAII SPZL ShoesRelease Date: November 6Editor's Notes: Spezial pairs lean on archive shapes, and the Hawaii follows a familiar template: a leather upper in Collegiate Green on a Gum outsole. adidas says the Spezial branding “adds a distinctive edge.” The green-on-gum combination is a classic for a reason, and it’s also available in Shadow Brown if green isn’t your thing. A familiar terrace title, perfect for any away day.WETHERLAM SPZL ShoesRelease Date: November 6Editor's Notes: The Wetherlam is the most expensive of this week’s Spezial drops, and it looks like the most considered. The upper mixes premium leather and textile in Sand Green, with Utility Black and Mesa details, and it sits on a low-profile rubber outsole. adidas describes it as “heritage inspiration with a modern, fashion-forward edge.” It’s quiet and wearable, and the colorway reads more as a hiking shoe than a terrace trainer.CRAZY ENERGY+ BAPE ShoesRelease Date: November 6Editor's Notes: The Crazy Energy+ has become one of adidas’s quietly cool basketball revivals, and BAPE has given it the full metallic treatment for the Golden Era collection. The all-silver upper is flexible synthetic, with a LightstrikePro midsole that adidas calls super-light. It blends basketball heritage with street culture, which is exactly BAPE’s territory. It’s a chrome sneaker for a very bright future, but it won’t be easy to get. SL 72 PRO ShoesRelease Date: Available NowEditor's Notes: The SL 72 is one of adidas’s best retro runners, and the Pro is the upgrade: a nylon upper with suede overlays on the eyestay, toe and heel, and a Lightstrike+ midsole for a lighter, more responsive ride. The Earth Strata brown is in line with this week’s palette. It comes in four colorways, this is adidas' answer to the retro runner revival. Highsnobiety has affiliate marketing partnerships, which means we may receive a commission from your purchase. Want to shop the products our editors actually love? Visit our SHOPPER page and subscribe to the newsletter for recs on all things fashion, footwear, and beauty.