Menu
Some say its name was inspired by Wilma Rudolph, the American sprinter nicknamed ‘The Black Gazelle’, who in 1960 won a record three gold medals at the Rome Olympics. On that occasion, the Black Gazelle wore a pair of adidas.
Others claim that ‘Gazelle‘ is none other than yet another fast mammal, chosen by adidas for training shoes, such as the ‘Panther‘ and ‘Jaguar‘, produced at the same time.
The fact remains that several firsts belong to the iconic trainers, born in 1966; for example, the use of integrated suede over the entire shoe: a revolution for sports trainers at the time.The adidas Gazelle have had several trendy comebacks, from the late 60s to the present day: the first, in the 70s, saw them take centre stage in the fashion of the time, thanks to their minimalist design and suede upper which, compared to the shoes of the time, allowed them to be dyed in a variety of colours.
This feature made them the most popular shoe among the hippies, and perfectly in line with the acid-coloured fashion of the 1970s.
The 80s were dominated by the Basketball silhouettes; we’ll have to wait until the 90s for another comeback of the adidas Gazelle, this time thanks to the BritPop movement, and in particular the Oasis group, who brought them into vogue among the new generations worldwide.
Actually, there is a clarification to be made: the English Ultras subculture, in particular the Manchester United fans, had already adopted the model as the identifying ‘uniform‘ of those who followed the team; Oasis simply deprovincialised this classic style of the English counterculture, being the inspiration for the fan base.
We come to the 2000s.
The Gazelle seemed like yet another classic trainer living in the memories of the nostalgic or worn only by outsiders; until Gucci‘s creative director Alessandro Michele created a Luxury version in collaboration with adidas for Spring/Summer 2022 Collection.
The adidas Gazelle x Gucci became an item for those who love luxury without sacrificing style and comfort, putting the spotlight back on the much-loved, and somewhat forgotten, silhouette.
The model is back on the radar among insiders and not, declined in many colours, continuing to ride the wave of success, even now.
The result? Gazelles sold out almost everywhere, something that hasn’t happened since the 1990s, perhaps.
The vintage-flavoured three-striped trainers have become an essential piece for next Summer ’23, and we bet, for next Autumn ’23 too.
The special version we are proposing in this editorial is inspired by a rare model created in 1985, a reworked toe cap, a higher foxing and the 3 stripes slightly modified.
The leather lining and upper are made of soft premium suede.
Be inspired by their versatile and simple shape in bold colours.
