History of the Adidas Gazelle OG

In recent weeks we have looked closely at some of Adidas Originals’ most defining footwear creations. Last time it was the recently re-released City Series’ Hamburg which got us talking. This time we continue our celebration of their most cherished silhouettes by looking at the much-loved Gazelle. A multi-purpose shoe which has become a cult classic over the years and is now available in a multitude of different colours and fabrics.

OG – meaning original – is a reference to the shoe which was first introduced in 1968 and since that day its appearance has barely changed at all. Despite that, it has remained ever popular and is without a shadow of a doubt one of the brand’s all-time best-selling designs. Terrace Casuals, Britpop icons and a whole host of other movements in between have been infatuated by these shoes and they continue to attract new generations of fans to this day.

Adidas Gazelle became associated with Casuals in the 1980s

In 1986 Adidas inadvertently took their product from sport to street with the help of unlikely collaborators in the form of a Hip Hop band, Run DMC. Their spontaneous commercial partnership formed on the back of a popular song featuring Adidas in the lyrics. One enduring image is of them at a packed concert, holding their Adidas three-stripes footwear aloft and watching thousands in the crowd reciprocate the act, a huge advert for the German sportswear brand and of course without any paid or conscious effort to do so, this was a true reflection of the brands popular status.

This reinvigorated the brand and helped them find a fusion between sport and fashion, it was the first venture outside of sport for a brand of their type, nobody had thought to market to these audiences before this time and it is because of this shift that models like the Gazelle were allowed to make the transition in the first place. It fitted perfectly into the specification and conformed to the altering needs of consumers, this era made it acceptable to wear these shoes for everyday activities as well as for sports.

One of the Gazelle’s most appealing traits is that it comes in a magnificent array of colours, textures and special editions; we have a remarkable 16 colourways to choose from which all feature unique outsoles, heel-caps, tongues, eye-stays and foxing amongst other detailing. These features make it that much easier to create a unique look and mean they aren’t restricted to certain styles.

Like a lot of Adidas Originals products, simplicity is a key feature of this silhouette and it is certainly one of the qualities which have made it a timeless/retro staple. It was one of the most popular trainers to practice in or compete in up until the late 1970s and now it is one of the most prominent shoes in fashion, not many other designs have enjoyed the same longevity as this.

Adidas are a tried and trusted footwear provider, they have almost 70 years of experience and have an archive of styles running into four figures. A hidden gem in this year’s collection is the Indoor version which has a transparent sole unit to mix with its casual styling and traditional bold colours, this is a limited edition for a true Adidas aficionado.

The new styles are available to check out now, preview them below.

http://www.mainlinemenswear.co.uk/search/adidas-gazelle